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LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 

AT  URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 

IN  MEMORY  OF 

STEWART  S.  HOWE 

JOURNALISM  CLASS  OF  1928 

STEWART  S.  HOWE  FOUNDATION 


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CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE. 
Early  Settlement  of  Township,  etc ,   1 

CHAPTER  n. 
Visit  of  the  Prince  of  Wales 7 

CHAPTER  HI. 
Early  Settlement  of  the  Village 16 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Reminiscences  of  War  Times 23 

CHAPTER  V. 
In  Times  of  Peace 36 

CHAPTER  VI. 
The  Past  Ten  Years 75 

CHAPTER  VII. 
From  '90  to  '92— The  Boom 83 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Lively  Times,  etc 89 


CHAPTER  IX. 
Local  Gossip,  etc 

CHAPTER  X, 

1894  Itemized.'... 

101 

CHAPTER  XT 

Fraternal  Organizations 

1  Uo 

CHAPTER  XH. 
Our  Public  Schools 

CHAPTER  XIH. 
Dvvight  Guards  and  10th  Battalion,  I.  N.  G..  by  Col.  J.  B,  Parsons     120 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
Dr.  Keeley's  Double  Chloiide  of  Gold.... 


131 


Personal  Recollections. 

By  Geo.  T.  Conant 

By  E.  H.  Kneeland 

137 

By  S.  T.  K.  Prime 

143 

By  W.  H.  Bradbury 

^ 146 

By  .Vliss  Sarah  Snyder 

By  James  Smith 

149 

By  an  Old  Settler 

^    ^  149 

By  Seth  Clover 

^     ^  150 

By  D.  Mc Williams 

151 

About  100  illustrations  are  distributed  through  this  work. 


/  7  ' 

HL 


6^ 


History  of  D wight, 


FROM  1853  TO   1894. 

^-^  Compiled  and  Published  by  Messrs.  Dustin  &  Wassell, 

editors  of  DwiGHT  Star  and  Herald. 


CHAPTER  I. 


EARLY  SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  TOWNSHIP,  ETC. 


[The  reader  should  bear  in  mind  that 
in  many  cases  the  matter  for  this  his- 
tory was  written  in  1878  and  people 
who  are  spoken  of  at  that  time  may  be 
deceased  or  moved  away,  but  are  spoken 
of  in  the  present  tense.— Ed.] 

There  is  nothing  more  astonishing  to 
the  professional  traveler,  or  even  to 
the  staid  "old  fogy"  New  Englander 
who  has  never  been  beyond  the  shadow 
of  his  own  sterile  hills,  than  the  start- 
ling rapidity  with  whi<.h  the  Great 
West  has  been  developed  and  settled. 
As  if  by  magic,  towns,  cities  and  vil- 
lages have  sprung  up  from  the  rank 
prairie  grass  and  unfolded  in  grandeur 
and  magnificence.  Yesterday,  where 
the  tall  grass  waved  in  the  wind  and 
myriad  wild  flowers  bloomed,  and 
spent 

"Their  sweetness  on  the  desert  air;" 

to-morrow,  as  it  were,  finds  a  city  or 
village  laid  out,  and  buildings  going  up 
at  a  rate  to  startle  anybody  but  a  wide- 
awake Westerner  who  has  been  born 
and  bred  to  this  spirit  of  enterprise, 


and  views  it  as  a  matter  of  course.  A 
conversation  overheard  on  the  train,  a 
day  or  two  ago,  between  a  couple  of 
old  gentlemen,  awakened  this  train  of 
thought  and  called  up  these  reflections. 
One  of  them  was  from  Western  New 
York  and  the  other  was  a  native  of 
Massachusetts,  but  both  now  live  in 
Illinois.  Said  one,  "It  is  the  most  as- 
tonishing thing  in  the  world,  this  amaz- 
ing growth  and  developement  of  the 
Western  country."  "Yes,"  said  the 
other,  "down  East,  where  I  came  from, 
there  is  the  old  road  along  which  we 
went  to  school,  and  the  rock  where  we 
kicked  oft'  a  toe  nail;  the  chestnut 
stump  that  stood  by  the  side  of  the 
road,  etc.  In  ten  years  we  find  them 
just  as  they  were  in  our  school  days. 
There  is  the  rock  where  we  stubbed 
our  toe,  and  the  old  chestnut  stump  by 
the  roadside;  nothing  is  changed.  But 
here  in  the  West,  what  changes  take 
place  in  that  period!  Let  us  be  absent 
from  our  neighborhood  for  ten  years, 


HISTORY  OF  DWir.IIT,  ILLINOIS. 


aud  when  we  return  we  find  nothing 
familiar;  everything — almost  the  face 
of  nature  itself— has  changed."  Thus 
it  is,  that  where,  a  few  years  ago,  was 
a  wilderness,  unbroken  and  undisturbed 
save  by  wild  beasts,  to-day  are  the  most 
flourishing  farms,  villages,  towns  and 
cities. 

The  iron  road  and  the  iron  horse 
of  George  Stephenson  were  destined  to 
alter  not  only  the  face  of  the  country, 
but  also  its  social  position  and  materi- 
al wealth.  It  was  during  these  times 
that  Jas.  C.  Spencer,  now  of  Wisconsin, 
and  T.  C.  Meyer,  formerly  of  New  York, 
drove  through  this  country  surveying 
the  present  railroad  from  Chicago  to 
St.  Louis.  For  seven  days  they  had  to 
camp  out  in  this  immediate  neighbor- 
hood, and  during  the  journey  Mr. 
Spencer  had  his  legs  so  severely  frosted 
that  at  one  time  it  was  feared  amputa- 
tion would  be  necessary.  But  their 
efforts  were  ultimately  crowned  with 
success  and  in  the  summer  of  1854  the 
first  engine  passed  over  che  road.  Mr. 
A.  West,  who  died  a  number  of  years 
ago,  helped  to  wood  up  that  engine 
when  it  stopped  here,  and  we  find  that 
it  was  appropiately  named  after  the 
enterprising  James  C  Spencer.  At 
that  time  the  town  consisted  of  two 
small  shanties  and  a  tank  for  the  en- 
gines. One  of  these  shanties  had  been 
occupied  by  a  man  named  Stevens,  who 
butchered  for  the  men  working  on  the 
railroad,  and  the  other  had  been  occu- 
pied by  a  man  named  Morgan,  who 
boarded  them.  Jas.  Morgan  afterwards 
resided  in  the  neighborhood  of  Pontiac. 
Mr.  Morgan  has  since  lived  on  the  Al- 
ton railroad,  and  has  been  most  of  tliis 
time  in  its  employ,  and  is  now  section 
foreman  at  Stieator. 

In  September  Mr.  .John  Campbell 
erected  a  temporary  building  just 
south  of  tlie  depot,  as  a  railroad  dining 


station.  The  noon  train  from  Chicago 
stopped  for  dinner,  aud  the  St.  Louis 
train  for  supper.  H.  Cornell  bought 
him  out  In  the  spring  of  1855,  and  soon 
after  the  dining  station  was  changed 
to  Bloomington,  and  Mr.  Cornell  built 
the  first  hotel  on  the  ground  where  his 
present  one  stands. 

That  winter  was  one  easily  remem- 
bered on  account  of  its  intense  cold  and 
protracted  length.  A  great  storm  burst 
over  the  country  and  snow  fell  till  it 
covered  the  land  two  feet  deep;  the 
thermometer  for  a  period  of  six  weeks 
averaged  from  25  to  30  deg.  below 
freezing  point;  and  the  few  residents 
in  this  locality  felt  the  bitter  weather 
in  all  its  severity.  The  trains  were 
snowed  in  for  several  weeks  and  the 
passengers  were  furnished  food  by  the 
poor  settlers.  It  became  necessary  to 
smash  up  the  car  seats  to  keep  fires 
burning  in  the  cars.  It  was  during 
this  great  storm  that  quite  a  large  del- 
egation of  Illiniois  legislators  had  been 
on  a  visit  to  Joliet  to  inspect  the  site 
for  the  removal  of  the  state  peniten- 
tiary trom  Alton,  and  when  returning 
were  blockaded  by  snow  about  three 
miles  southwest  of  Dwight  for  several 
days,  and  were  finally  taken  to  the 
farm  house  of  Major  Thos.  C.  Mc- 
Dowell, (now  James  Brown's  resi- 
dence,) and  from  there  to  Morris  in 
sleighs,  reaching  Springfield  via  La 
Salle,  Bloomington  and  Decatur  and 
for  six  weeks  no  trains  were  run  from 
Bloomington  to  Joliet.  Many  farmers 
in  the  surrounding  neighborhood  lost 
their  cattle,  and  thus  they  were  cramped 
and  hindered  at  the  very  commence- 
ment of  tlieir  pioneer  life.  The  snow 
was  on  the  ground  till  May  when  the 
farmers  went  to  planting  corn ;  but  by 
this  time  other  families  were  moving 
into  the  settlement,  and  it  soon  became 
evident  that  a  village  was  about  to  be 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


formed  here.  At  this  period  the  prai- 
rie was  infested  more  or  less  with 
wolves,  and  when  the  settler  looked  out 
of  his  door  in  the  clear  bright  morning 
light  he  could  often  see  large  herds  of 
deer  pasturing  not  far  trom  his  little 
homestead.  The  locality  now  known 
as  the  town  of  I)wight  was  then  a  pre- 
cinct, and  it  was  not  till  the  21st  day  of 
January,  1854.  that  the  plats  were  laid 
out  and  the  town  in  which  we  live  and 
which  many  have  learned  to  love,  was 
created. 

Like  all  the  prairie  land,  this  town- 
ship was  not  settled  for  more  than 
twenty  years  after  settlements  had 
been  made  in  the  groves  of  timber  and 
along  the  water  courses  in  the  county, 
John  Conant  came  from  Rochester, 
Ohio,  in  1854,  and  settled  on  the  north- 
east quarter  of  Section  8,  which  is  con- 
ceded to  be  the  first  settlement  in 
Dvvight  Township,  outside  of  the  vil- 
lage of  the  same  name.  lie  put  up  a 
frame  building,  which  is  still  standing 
in  a  good  state  of  preservation,  though 
its  builder  has  "mingled  with  the  clods 
of  the  valley."  He  died  a  few  years 
ago,  at  an  advanced  age.  Mr.  Conant 
was  the  first  Postmaster  at  Dwight, 
and  the  first  Justice  of  the  Peace  after 
township  organization.  The  next  year 
Nelson  Cornell  came  to  the  neighbor- 
hood and  put  up  a  house  on  Sec.  5.  Thos. 
Little  settled  near  Cornell  soon  after. 
He  sold  out,  ten  or  twelve  years  ago, 
and  removed  to  Wilmington,  where  at 
present  he  resides. 

The  first  sign  of  a  town  was  indicat- 
ed by  the  elevation  of  a  telegraph  pole 
with  an  inverted  tin  pail  nailed  on  the 
top.  This  served  as  a  landmark  and  a 
guide  to  surveyors  engaged  in  survey- 
ing the  Chicago  &  Mississippi  railroad, 
(now  the  C  &  A.  road.)  When  the  lirst 
few  houses  were  built  here,  the  neigh- 
boring farmers  and  residents  styled  the 


incipient  village  "Western  New  York;" 
but  that  name  was  soon  destined  to 
pass  out  of  sight  and  give  place  to  a 
better  one.  We  have  never  been  able 
to  ascertain  why  the  town  was  not 
named  after  its  founder  and  original 
proprietor  of  the  land,  R.  P.  Morgan, 
jr.,  unless  it  was  that  Mr.  Morgan  was 
too  modest  and  too  generous  to  name 
it  atter  himself. 

Henry  Dwight,  jr.,  of  New  York,  was 
a  brother  engineer  of  R.  P.  Morgan;  he 
came  out  West  and  embarked  and  lost 
his  then  large  fortune  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  railroad.  He  was  a  man  of 
enterprise  and  great  public  spirit,  and 
it  was  in  his  honor  and  to  commemo- 
rate his  deeds  that  R.  P.  Morgan 
gave  his  name  to  the  town  in  which  we 
live. 

It  was  on  the  6th  of  August,  1853, 
that  Mr.  Morgan  deeded  the  right  of 
way  to  the  Chicago  &  Mississippi  Rail- 
road Company  through  the  present  site 
of  Dwight,  and  other  lands;  reserving 
by  covenant  that  "should  he  lay  oft'  the 
former  tract,  the  present  site  of  the 
town,  into  town  lots,  to  make  safe  and 
suitable  crossings  wherever  the  line  of 
said  road  intersects  the  streets  that 
may  be  laid  out  on  said  road."  And  in 
consideration  of  the  rightof  way  grant- 
ed, the  company  covenanted  to  "erect 
and  keep  up  station  houses  and  other 
necessary  depot  buildings,"  where  they 
now  stand,  on  the  North  east  Quarter 
of  Section  Nine.  Town  Thirty,  North, 
Range  Seven,  East  of  Third  Principal 
Meridian. 

In  the  fall  of  1853  Mr.  Morgan  caused 
the  original  town  plat  to  be  surveyed, 
and  on  the  30th  of  January,  1854,  for- 
mally dedicated  and  recorded  it  in  the 
following  words;  "To  be  known  as  the 
town  of  Dwight,  and  the  streets  and 
alleys  described  on  the  plot  are  hereby 
donated  to  the  public." 


HISTORY  OF  DWKUIT,  ILLINOIS. 


James  McIldulT,  in  1854,  bought  the 
northwest  quarter  of  Section  18  on 
which  he  had  some  ten  acres  broken 
very  soon  after  his  purchase.  This,  it 
is  claimed,  was  the  first  "breaking  of 
prairie"  in  Dwight  Township.  He  was 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  came  to 
his  farm  the  next  year  after  this  plow- 
ing, and  settled  permanently.  He  oc- 
cupied his  farm  for  a  number  of  years, 
then  removed  to  the  village,  where  he 
served  as  Postmaster  during  the  Presi- 
dential term  of  Andrew  Johnson.  He 
still  lives  in  the  village  of  Dwight,  and 
served  several  terms  as  police  magis- 
trate and  justice  of  the  peace. 

In  1855,  James  C.  Spencer,  of  New 
York,  began  improvements  on  his  farm 
adjoining  the  present  village  or  Dwight. 
He  was  born  on  the  Hudson  Eiver,  be- 
low the  city  of  Albany,  and  was  a 
lineal  descendant  of  Hon.  Ambrose 
Spencer,  once  Chief  Justice  of  the  State, 
and,  through  his  mother,  of  George 
Clinton,  first  Governor  of  New  York 
and  Vice  President  of  the  United 
States,  and  of  DeWitt  Clinton,  also 
Governor  of  New  York  and  the  pro- 
jector of  the  Erie  Canal.  He  owned 
about  1,200  acres  of  land  herein  a  body 
and  came  to  the  place  as  an  engineer 
of  the  raihoad  company.  Mr.  West, 
mentioned  in  this  chapter  as  one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  Dwight,  broke  the  first 
prairie,  on  Spencer's  farm.  It  was  on 
this  farm  that  the  Prince  of  Wales 
made  his  headquarters  for  a  few  days, 
in  1800,  as  noticed  further  on  in  these 
pages.  Mr.  Spencer  at  present  lives  in 
Milwaukee,  and  is  Vice  President  of 
the  Davenport  &  Northwestern  Kail- 
road  of  Iowa,  and  Consulting  Engineer 
of  the  Pittsburg,  Fort  Wayne  &  Chica- 
go llailroad. 

Henry  A.  Gardner,  then  a  resident  of 
Joliet,  who  owned  1,000  acres  of  land 
east   of  the  village,  commenced    im- 


provements on  it  this  year.  He  was 
originally  from  MassachuseUs,  and  he 
and  Spencer  and  E.  P.  Morgan,  the  lat- 
ter more  particularly  mentioned  in  the 
history  of  the  village,  were  civil  en- 
gineers in  the  employ  of  the  "Chicago 
&  Mississippi  Railroad  Company,''  as 
the  Chicago,  Alton  &  St.  Louis  Road 
was  then  called.  Mr.  Gardner  was  em- 
ployed as  rodman  on  the  Great  West- 
ern Railroad  in  1836,  under  Morgan, 
and  soon  advanced  to  Junior  Assistant. 
He  w^as  engaged,  at  different  periods, 
as  a  civil  engineer  on  the  Hudson  River 
Railroad,  the  Harlem  Railroad  and  the 
Mohawk  .fe  Hudson  River  Railroad.  In 
1845,  he  came  West  and  accepted  a  pos- 
ition on  the  Illinois  &  Michigan  Canal, 
and  in  1853  was  employed,  as  above 
stated,  in  constructing  the  Chicago, 
Alton  &  St.  Lou's  Railroad  from  Joliet 
to  Blooraington.  He  located  his  lands 
near  the  present  village  of  Dwight, 
when  making  the  railroad  survey,  and 
also  settled  his  family  here.  After 
spending  some  time  on  his  farm,  he  was 
called  to  a  position  on  the  Hudson 
River  Railroad.  At  the  time  of  his 
death,  July  26,  1875,  he  was  chief  En- 
gineer of  the  Michigan  Central  Rail- 
road. The  following  statement,  made 
a  short  time  before  he  died,  shows  his 
excellent  business  qualities:  "I  never 
had  a  bill,  approved  by  me,  returned 
for  correction  or  explanation  during 
my  professional  life."  He  has  left  be- 
hind him  a  family  of  able  representa- 
tives. 

Another  of  the  early  settlers  and  sub- 
stantial men  of  the  neighborhood  was 
Renjamin  Chester.  He  settled  here  in 
1860,  and  was  originally  from  Connec- 
ticut, and  sprung  from  a  good  old  Rev- 
olutionary stock.  He  died  in  1868,  and 
his  son,  Wm.  V.  Chester,  who  appeared 
fully  capable  of  the  management  of 
their  large  farm,  followed  his  father  to 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


tlie  land  of  rest  in  October,  18(39,  leav- 
ing a  sister,  Miss  Hannah  Chester,  the 
only  surviving  member  of  this  excellent 
family. 

C,  Itoadnight,  from  the  'chalky  cliffs' 
of  Old  England,  settled  3  miles  south 
the  village  in  1857,  on  what  is  known  as 
the  ''Davis  Farm."  A  man  of  exten- 
sive means  and  of  fine  education,  he 
soon  obtained  the  pseudonym  of  "Sir 
Charles,"  a  name  that  ever  after  clung 
to  him  among  the  democratic  citizens 
of  this  "blarsted  conntry."  He  under- 
took to  farm  on  the  English  style,  but 
it  did  not  result  very  successfully.  In 
this  country,  and  particularly  in  the 
great  "West,  where  there  are  men  who 
own  farms  nearly  as  large  as  the  British 
Empire,  and  on  which  there  is  annually 
wasted  as  much,  perhaps,  as  is  made  on 
the  largest  English  farms  in  a  single 
year,  there  is  little  attention  paid  to 
scientific  farming,  and,  indeed,  in  the 
great  every-day  rush,  it  seems  that  the 
farmers  have  actually  no  time  to  de- 
vote to  the  science  of  the  business.  Mr. 
lloadnight  was,  for  a  number  of  years, 
(General  Freight  Agent  of  the  Chicago, 
Alton  &  St.  Louis  Railroad,  a  position 
he  filled  with  entire  satisfaction. 

This  includes  a  number  of  the  early 
settlers  of  the  township  outside  of  the 
village  of  Dwight.  From  this  period 
forward,  the  inllux  of  emigrants  was 
too  rapid  to  further  admit,  of  individ- 
ual notice  in  the  history  of  the  town, 
but  there  are  those  whose  histories  are 
identified  with  the  village,  and  in  that 
connection  will  receive  proper  mention. 
The  country  around  the  little  village 
rapidly  filled  up,  and  the  new  railroad, 
when  completed,  was  an  inducement, 
to  people  in  search  of  homes,  to  bring 
them  to  this  section,  and  soon  not  a 
"forty"  nor  ''eighty''  was  left  unten- 
anted. 

Like  ail  portions  of  a  new  country 


the  main  historical  importance  centers 
in  the  cities  or  more  important  villages 
It  is  so  In  Uwight  Township,  and  very 
few  items  of  interest,  beyond  the  mere 
fact  of  settlement,  have  occurred  out- 
side of  the  village  limits.  There  are, 
however,  one  or  two  instances  that 
belong  in  the  township  history,  and 
will  be  given  in  their  proper  order. 

Some  notice  of  a  murder  that  oc- 
curred but  a  few  miles  from  the  village 
of  Dwight.  and  is  a  part  of  the  history 
of  this  toft-nship,  may  be  given  in  this 
connection.  A  Prussian  nobleman,  by 
name  Alvin  V.  Panwitz,  had  settled  a 
few  miles  from  the  village,  where  he 
was  murdered  on  the  23d  day  of  Janu- 
ary, 1872,  by  his  German  serving  man, 
Frederick  Schafer.  Panwitz  was  a  man 
who  drank  to  excess,  and  on  the  day  of 
his  murder  had  drawn  some  money  le- 
mitted  to  him  from  the  old  country, 
and  as  usual  got  drunk.  Late  in  the 
evening,  he  and  his  man,  together  with 
Conrad  Reinmiller,  started  for  home  in 
his  sleigh,  but  owing  to  the  violent 
quarreling  of  Panwitz  and  Schafer, 
Reinmiller  left  the  sleigh.  After  they 
had  arrived  at  home,  it  seems  their 
quarrel  was  renewed,  and  while  Pan- 
witz was  lying  on  the  bed,  Schafer 
struck  him  with  a  monkey  wrench  sev- 
eral blows,  which  ultimately  resulted 
in  death.  Ilis  victim  was  buried  in  a 
compost  heap  near  the  stable  and  for 
three  days  Schafer  hauled  corn  to 
Nevada,  when,  having  aroused  sus- 
picion against  him,  he  dressed  himself 
in  his  late  master's  clothes  (whom  he 
strongly  resembled,  it  is  said.) gathered 
up  all  the  valuables  he  could  get  his 
hands  on,  and  started  with  the  team 
for  Chicago.  Detectives  there  were 
notified,  and  soon  discovered  him  in  a 
stable  trying  to  dispose  of  the  horses 
for  a  small  amount.  He  was  at  once 
brought  back  to  the  village  of  Dwight, 


HISTORY  OF  D  WIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


and  after  a  preliminary  hearing  sent  to 
Pontiac,  where,  in  due  time,  he  was 
tried  and  sentenced  to  eighteen  years 
in  the  Joliet  prison. 

In  Dwight  Township,  as  in  all  prai 
rie  country,  the  people  were  often  ex- 
posed to  the  terror  and  danger  of  prai- 
rie fires;  many  lost  property,  and  came 
near  losing  their  lives.  Referring  again 
to  the  history  of  Dwight,  already 
quoted  from,  it  says  of  these  ter- 
rible fires:  "Nelson  Cornell  was  out 
hunting  one  day  on  the  east  side  of  the 
town,  and  when  returning  saw  an  im- 
mense prairie  fire  approaching.  In  or- 
der to  save  his  life,  he  burnt  the  grass 
in  the  place  where  he  was,  and  stood 
on  the  hot  ground  while  the  larger  fire 
swept  by  him,  nearly  suffocating  him 
with  smoke  and  ashes."  Thus  the 
early  settlers  of  the  prairies  were  often 
in  danger  of  losing,  not  only  their  prop- 
erty, but  their  lives. 

When  the  county  was  divided  into 
election  precincts,  before  township  or- 
ganization, Robert  Thompson,  living 
in  what  is  now  Nevada  Township,  was 


a  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  this  "Election 
Precinct,"  and  was  the  first  to  exercise 
the  functions  of  that  office  here.  John 
Conant  was  the  first  Justice  after  town- 
ship organization.  The  first  constables 
were  B.  Losee  and  W.  H.  Ketchum;  the 
latter  was  also  Collector,  and  Isaac  G. 
Mott  was  the  first  Supervisor.  The 
township  officers  in  1878  were  as  fol- 
lows; Hugh  Thompson,  Supervisor; 
John  Thompson  and  W.  H.  Ketchum, 
Justices  of  the  Peace;  Joseph  Ford,  As- 
sessor; Joshua  Sibley,  Collector;  C.  M. 
Baker,  Town  Clerk,  and  Francis  Carey, 
School  Treasurer. 

The  first  birth  in  the  township  was  a 
child  of  Thos.  Wilson,  the  Railroad 
Agent,  about  1854,  and  died  in  about 
six  months,  which  was  also  the  first 
death  in  the  village.  The  second  death 
was  the  wife  of  Alexander  Gourley. 
She  was  taken  sick  and  died  at  Mr. 
West's  in  1855.  She  was  buried  in  the 
German  Settlement.  The  first  marriage 
of  which  we  have  any  account  is  Elon  G. 
Ragan  and  Maria  West,  who  were  mar- 
ried February  19, 1856. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


CHAPTER  II. 


VISIT  OF  THE  PRINCE   OF  WALES. 


One  of  the  most  important,  and,  per- 
haps, deserving  of  precedence,  even 
among  our  republican  people,  who  have 
little  veneration  tor  royalty,  but  a  good 
deal  of  curiosity  perhaps,  was  the  visit 
of  the  Prince  of  Wales  to  this  country, 
in  1860.  All  who  read  the  public  jour- 
nals of  the  day  are  familiar  with  tbe 
main  features  of  his  tour  of  the  United 
States,  and  it  is  only  necessary  to  state 
here,  that  the  Prince,  en  route  from 
Chicago  to  St.  Louis,  stopped  here  for 
a  few  days  shooting.  From  a  work  en 
titled  "Past,  Present  and  Future  of 
Dwight,"  published  by  The  Dwight 
Star,  we  extract  of  the  royal  visit. 
Speaking  of  the  events  of  the  year  1860, 
the  author  says:  "This  year  was  re- 
markable for  nothing,  as  far  as  we  can 
learn,  except  the  visit  of  the  Prince  of 
Wales.  The  theory  of  the  divine  right 
of  kings  has  long  since  been  exploded, 
and  is  now  thrown  aside  by  all  intelli- 
gent people.  Yet,  if  the  theory  has 
gone,  of  the  practices  which  it  involved 
remains.  There  seems  to  be  a  natural 
craving  in  the  minds  of  many  to  see  a 
royal  personage,  even  if  it  only  be  a 
second  cousin.  The  strangest  part  of 
it  is,  that  such  a  desire  should  be  mani- 
fested in  our  own  country,  the  acknow- 
ledged land  of  independence  and  the 
home  of  republican  thought  and  feel- 
ing. It  is  true,  however,  that  our  coun- 
trymen, and  women  especially,  have  a 


great  reverence  for  foreign  nobility, 
and  the  visit  of  the  Prince  of  Wales, 
and  later  the  Duke  Alexis,  confirms 
the  statement.  That  this  state  of  things 
exists  is  not  surprising,  but  it  is  sad.  It 
would  seem  that  if  a  tribute  of  praise 
or  meed  of  honor  is  due  to  any  man,  it 
is  to  him  who  has  wrought  noble  deeds 
for  his  country;  it  is  to  that  man  who, 
laying  aside  all  selfish  ambition  and 
worldly  fame,  devotes  his  faculties,  his 
energies,  his  life  to  the  welfare  of  our 
common  humanity. 

"During  his  progress  through  our 
country,  the  Prince  of  Wales  met  an  en- 
thusiastic reception.  His  visit  to  this 
neighborhood  was  expected,  and  the 
residence  of  James  C.  Spencer  was  pre- 
pared for  his  visit.  The  household  fur- 
niture was  taken  away,  and  special  fur- 
niture, sent  ahead  by  the  Prince's  party 
supplied  its  place.  A  crowd  of  citizens 
gathered  on  the  edge  of  ihe  railroad 
opposite  Mr.  Spencer's  residence  and 
waited  for  the  Prince's  arrival.  It  is 
mournful  to  be  compelled  to  state  that 
no  triumphial  arch  had  been  reared;  no 
town  band  was  there  with  pleasant 
music,  no  leading  citizen  to  present  an 
address  of  welcome  to  the  youthful 
scion  of  royalty.  t-  *  *  * 
About  27  minutes  after  6  p-  m  on  Sep- 
tember 22,  1860,  the  Prince  of  Wales  ar- 
rived at  this  town.    He  was  at  once 


iiiSTony  OF  DwiGiiT.  illi:nois. 


escorted  to  the  residence  of  Mr.  Spen- 
cer, where  he  remained  during  his  stay 
here.  He  came  to  this  neighborhood 
for  the  purpose  of  shooting,  and  had 
not  been  many  minutes  at  the  farm 
before  he  called  loudly  for  his  gun  and 
announced  his  intention  of  having 
some  sport  that  evening.  He  only  shot 
one  bird  a  little  screech  owl,  and  that 
was  enough  for  the  time  being.  The 
next  day  was  Sunday,  when  the  Prince 
and  his  suite  attended  divine  service  at 
the  Presbyterian  church.  The  sermon 
was  preached  by  the  Rev.  P.  D.  Young. 
The  Prince  was  much  pleased  with  the 
service,  and,  in  consequence,  made  a 
donation  to  the  church.  The  next  day, 
the  party,  numbering  some  twelve  or 
fourteen  gentlemen,  commenced  shoot- 
ing in  downright  earnest.  One  day 
they  shot  from  the  train,  and  had  such 
success  that  over  two-  hundred  quails 
and  chickens  were  bagged.  The  Prince 
was  then  19  years  old,  and  liad  a  good 
appearar.ce.  He  was  looking  remark- 
ably well  and  enjoyed  excellent  health. 
His  spirits  were  always  good  and  his 
manner  uniformly  genial.  He  was 
very  much  pleased  with  our  country, 
and  expressed  himself  eminently  satis- 
fied with  his  visit  to  Dwight.  His  stay 
wasshoit;he  came  on  Saturday  and 
went  away  on  Wedne'iday.  The  last 
day  he  was  liere,  he  planted  an  elm  tree 
on  Air.  Spencer's  farm,  and  it  has  now 
grown  to  large  proportions.  Those 
who  are  curious  about  such  matters 
can  walk  up  to  the  residence  and  see 
that  elm  tree  for  themselves.  Mr.  Alil- 
ler  was  living  on  the  farm  at  the  time 
of  the  Prince's  visit,  and  has  com- 
niunicatea  many  items  of  information 
to  us." 

"The  first  night,  one  of  the  principal 
attendants  on  his  Royal  Higliness  made 
an  unpleasant  and  uncalled-for  remark 
to  Mr.  Miller.    That  gentleman  turntd 


ronnd  quickly  and  said,  'If  you'll  just 
mind  your  business,  I'll  mind  mine.'  It 
is  aiso  related  how  Mr.  Roadnight  drove 
up  one  day  in  rattling  style,  and,  sitting 
in  his  vehicle,  called,  'Ho,  therel'  Xo 
reply  was  vouchsafed  the  challenge; 
and  when  it  had  been  unsuccessfully 
repeated,  the  irate  Englishman  put  his 
whip  to  his  horses  and  told  the  Prince 
to  'go'  somewhere,  but  history  does  not 
state  positively  the  place.  Mr.  Miller 
says  the  party  behaved  themselves  with 
great  decorum  during  their  stay,  and 
bs  the  town  is  also  reported  to  have 
done  the  same,  we  may  safely  congrat- 
ulate ourselves  on  having  entertained 
the  heir  to  the  throne  of  England  with 
satisfaction  and  credit. 

"As  to  the  tree  planted  by  his  Royal 
Highness,  and  referred  to  in  the  fore- 
going extract,  we  had  the  curiosity  nat- 
ural to  a  "Brother  Jonathan"  and  paid 
the  tree  a  visit.  So  impressed  did  we 
become  v/ith  its  royal  greatness,  that 
we  mechanically  lifted  our  "tile"  and 
bowed  low  to  its  waving  branches,  while 
with  awe  we  plucked  a  leaf  which  we 
bore  away  as  a  relic.  Spencer's  place 
where  the  Prince  was  entertained,  is  or 
was  known  as  "Renfrew  Lodge",  and  is 
half  a  mile  north  of  the  village. 

The  following  recently  appeared  in 
the  Youths  Companion  and  will  be  of 
interest  to  all. 

A  PRINCE  ON  THE  PRAIRIE. 

l.Y   GRACE  GKEENWOOD. 

In  the  town  of  Dwight,  Illinois.— a 
place  of  late  years  famous  in  connec- 
tion with  the  "gold  cure"  for  dipsoma- 
nia,— there  stands  a  certain  commodi- 
ous cottage  which  has  a  bit  of  royal 
history  attached  to  it.  Uuderits  mod- 
est roof  tiie  young  Prince  of  Wales  was 
entertained  in  18(iO,  while  on  a  shoot- 
ing expedition — a  pleasant  little  epi 
sode  in  his  American  tour. 


Col.  Richard  P.  Morgan. 


David  McWilliams, 


W.  H.  Bradbury. 


Geo.  Conant. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLOOIS. 


This  house,  standing  on  the  edge  of 
Grande  Prairie,  had  been  for  some  sea- 
sons occupied  only  as  a  hunting  lodge 
by  the  owner,  Mr.  James  Spencer,  of 
Chicago,  and  his  brothers,  all  ardent 
sportsmen.  Often  they  had  guests,  in- 
cluding many  English  army  officers  and 
tourists  who  had  brought  letters  to  the 
Spencer  family,  and  were  eager  for  the 
sport  then  to  be  found  on  our  plains  as 
nowhere  else. 

Mr.  Spencer's  tract  of  almost  virgin 
praire,  with  the  vast  level  stretches 
beyond  it,  constituted  a  natural  game 
.preserve— if  "preserve"  that  could  be 
called  which  was  open  to  the  world 
and  walled  by  the  horizon  only. 

The  long  bush  grass  of  the  prairie, 
with  wild  vines  and  flowers,  afforded 
rare  hiding-places  for  birds,  and  as 
proof  of  the  then  great  variety  of 
such  game  stands  the  record  that  on 
one  day  in  October,  1858,  the  Spencer 
brothers  and  their  guests  killed  prairie 
chicken,  quail,  snipe,  woodcock,  plov- 
er, wild  geese,  wild  turkeys  and  ducks! 

In  the  early  summer  Mr.  Spencer  re- 
ceived from  high  social  sources  an  inti- 
mation of  the  honor  designed  him.  It 
was  an  invitation  to  invite  the  Prince 
of  Wales  and  party  to  his  modest  lodge 
for  a  little  shooting.  It  seemed  that 
the  fame  of  the  American  gentleman 
a  courteous  and  considerate  host  and 
that  of  his  shooting  lodge  for  well- 
guarded  privacy,  as  well  as  excellent 
sport,  had  been  carried  even  to  Wind- 
sor, 

When  the  plans  for  the  visit  of  Al- 
bert Edward  to  America  were  being 
discussed,  the  boy  pleaded  for  a  little 
shooting  on  a  Western  prairie,  as  a  re- 
lief from  tiresome  receptions  and  pa- 
rades. The  queen  and  prince  consort 
consented  on  condition  that  "Bertie" 
should  be  received  at  the  Spencer 
Lodge  for  a  few  days  in  the  month  of 


August,  and  while  there  should  be 
under  the  immediate  personal  care  of 
his  host. 

DRAWBACKS  TO    ENTERTAINING    ROY 
ALTY. 

Mr,  Spencer  appreciated  the  compli- 
ment, but  could  not  at  first  bring  him- 
self to  accept  it.  He  was  a  quiet  busi- 
ness man,  averse  to  publicity.  More- 
over, he  shrank  from  the  serious  re- 
sponsibility of  guarding  the  English 
heir-apparent,  in  house  and  hunting 
field,  at  a  time  when  Irish  Orangemen 
and  Ribbonmen  were  rioting  in  Cana- 
da, and  when  Fenianism  was  being  or- 
ganized in  the  States. 

Pressing  letter  and  messages  came  to 
Mr.  Spencer  from  English  and  Canadi- 
an friends  interested  in  the  prince's 
tour,  but  it  was  not  until  the  lad  him- 
self was  hourly  expected  in  Canada, 
with  his  heart  set  on  prairie  chickens, 
that,  moved  by  a  sportsman's  sympa- 
thy, Mr,  Spender's  resolution  gave 
away,  and  he  set  about  the  necessary 
and  somewhat  difficult  arrangements 
for  so  unusual  an  event  as  a  royal  visi- 
tation in  a  primitive  prairie  town. 

There  were  those  in  this  republican 
country  who  envied  "the  Spencers"  the 
privilege  of  entertaining  Queen  Vic- 
toria's son,  but  the  honor  had  its  draw- 
backs. 

From  the  first,  great  care  and  man- 
agement had  to  be  used  to  keep  the 
time  and  the  whereabouts  of  that  little 
sporting  frolic  a  profound  secret,  lest 
enterprising  reporters  from  the  big 
cities  should  be  early  on  the  field,  'lying 
low'  in  the  prairie  grass,  or  as  ameteur 
sportsmen  stalking  the  royal  game. 

Again,  the  party  was  rather  royally 
considerable  for  one  republican  family 
to  look  after.  There  were  two  "gover- 
nors'' of  the  prince,  His  Grace  the  Duke 
of  Newcastle  and  General  Bruce;  Lord 
Lyons,  British  Minister  to  Washington ; 


10 


HISTOKY  OF  DWIGllT,  ILLINOIS. 


the  Earl  of  St.  Germain;  two  extra  lords, 
Eliot  and  Hinchingbrooke,  college 
friends  of  the  prince;  two  equerries, 
Major  Teesdale  and  Captain  Gray;  one 
physician,  Doctor  Acland;  a  London 
Times  reporter  and  an  Illustrated  Xews 
artist.  Added  to  these  were  a  lot  of 
English  servants,  with  special  men  for 
the  hunting  field. 

Dwight  was  then  a  small  village,  and 
nearly  all  supplies  for  the  lodge  had  to 
be  brought  from  Chicago,  seventy-five 
miles  away.  Marketing  would  have  to 
be  done  in  the  city  every  morning  and 
sent  down  by  an  early  train. 

Only  a  limited  number  of  the  royal 
party  could  be  accommodated  at  the 
lodge.  For  the  others,  suitable  quar- 
ters must  be  provided  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. To  look  after  the  comfort  of  all, 
and  to  train  and  direct  new  servants, 
mostly  rustic,  Mr.  Spencer  found  that  a 
hostess  would  be  indispensable. 

He  was  a  single  man?  but  happily  he 
had  a  married  sister  who,  though  still 
very  young,  was  equal  to  the  emergen- 
cy, being  a  lady  of  rare  executive  abili- 
ty and  fine  social  tact.  This  lady  went 
down  from  her  city  home  from  time  to 
time,  and  quietly  put  the  lodge  and  its 
annexed  cottages  in  order,  as  though 
for  the  coming  of  the  ordinary  guests 
of  the  shooting  season. 

If  people  asked  questions— well,  the 
secret  had  to  be  kept.  She  knew  that 
for  these  aristocratic  guests  no  special 
etiquette  was  to  be  observed.  While  in 
the  States  they  were  to  dispense  with 
courtly  form  and  ceremony,  and  to  drop 
all  lordly  airs,— if  they  ever  had  any,— 
thus  sparing  our  republican  feelings, 
while  gaining  a  good  time  for  them- 
selves. 

The  prince  himself  was  kindly  to  shed 
his  grandest  titles,— about  a  score  of 
them,— retaining  only  that  of  Jiaron 
Renfrew.    To  their  American  host  the 


members  of  the  party  were  to  be  sim- 
ply English  gentlemen,  mostly  elderly, 
headed  by  a  nice  young  collegian,  the 
nicest  and  youngest  of  them  all. 

PKINCE  ALBERT  EDWARD  ARRIVES. 

In  August  the  Prince  of  Wales 
reached  Quebec,  and  was  received  with 
raptures  and  revels  of  loyalty.  After  a 
triumhpial  progress  through  his  moth 
er's  dominions  he  neared  the  Land  of 
Promise  at  Niagara,  where  he  beheld 
tliat  slender  propechy  of  the  g'-eat  sus- 
pensiou-bridge— the  wire  of  the  rope- 
walker  Blondin,  with  Blond  in  on  it. 
Reaching  the  States,  he  naid  brief  visits , 
to  Detroit  and  Chicago,  unimportant 
towns,  on  his  way  to  Dwight. 

Chicago  was  then  in  one  of  its  trans 
ition  states — rising  from  mire,  as  ten 
years  later  it  rose  from  ashes.  From 
the  wonderful  new  waterworks,  to 
which  they  had  been  conducted  by  the 
mayor  and  other  othcials,  the  prince 
party  were  whisked  off  by  Mr.  Spencer 
to  Dwight,  by  way  of  the  Chicago,  Al- 
ton &  St.  Louis  Railroad. 

After  reaching  the  lodge,  most  of  the 
guests  were  content  to  rest  on  the  piaz- 
za and  enjoy  the  evening  breeze  from 
oft' that  great  prairie  surging  softly  in 
the  sunset  light,  like  a  sea  of  gold.  Ra- 
the prince,  intent  on  business,  almost 
immediately  called  for  his  gun,  and 
dashed  out  into  the  grounds. 

A  valet,  two  gentlemen  of  the  Spen- 
cer family  and  a  lord  or  two,  followed 
in  hot  and  armed  pursuit.  Soon  there 
was  a  cheerful  popping  of  guns,  and  a 
whirring  up  and  fiuttering  down  of  hap- 
less birds,  set  upon  when  just  about 
turning  in  for  the  night.  The  little 
party  returned  in  the  darkling  twilight 
with  some  fine  specimens  of  prairie 
chickens,  Albert  Edward  wild  with  de- 
light over  his  share,  and  bound  to  have 
it  cooked  for  dinner. 

Only  the  prince,  his  governors  and 


IIISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLIIS^OIS. 


11 


physician  had  rooms  at  the  lodge  though 
all  the  gentlemen  of  the  party  met  there 
for  meals.  When,  an  hour  or  two  after 
dinner  that  evening,  Mr.  Spencer  was 
preparing  to  couduct  the  two  equerries 
to  their  quarters, — the  cottage  of  the 
village  schoolma.ster,  just  outside  the 
lodge-gates, — the  irrepressible  prince 
asked  permission  to  go  also,  and  carry 
a  lantern. 

Arrived  at  the  house,  they  were  all 
invited  into  the  little  parlor,  where  sat 
the  schoolmaster  and  his  wife— she 
rocking  an  obstinately  wakeful  baby. 
To  the  surprise  of  the  young  gentlemen, 
the  royal  arrival  was  still  unknown  to 
the  dominie,  who  began  questioning  his 
neighbor  as  to  the  rum  or  that  the  young 
Prince  of  Wales  was  "going  to  shoot 
somewhere  on  some  prairie  in  Illi- 
nois." 

"I  do  not  expect  him,  for  my  part," 
said  Mr.  Spencer. 

"Well,  so  I  thought,"  continued  the 
schoolmaster;  "he's  too  grand  for  a 
place  like  D wight,  I  suppose.  I  won 
der  what  sort  of  a  young  fellow  he  is 
anyhow.  Not  as  handsome  as  his  fath- 
er, judging  by  the  pictures  in  the  pa- 
pers. Pretty  well  educaced  for  a  prince, 
I  guess,  but  I  don't  suppose  he  knows 
much  about  the  higher  mathematics." 

During  this  conversation  the  subject 
of  it  was  the  only  one  of  the  visitors 
who  perfectly  kept  his  countenance— a 
royal  lesson,  early  learned.  When  his 
equerries  had  rather  hurriedly  retired, 
he  gravely  took  leave  of  Mr.  Spencer, 
bidding  the  innocent  schoolmaster  and 
wife  good  night,  and  not  forgetting  the 
baby.  But  well  away,  he  laughed  heart- 
ily and  long  over  his  "lirst  call  in  the 
States." 

The  next  day  was  Sunday.  The  en- 
tire party  accompanied  host  and  host- 
ess to  church— a  Presbyterian  one,  the 
first  house  of  worship  built  at  Dwight. 


To  the  surprise  of  some  of  his  hearers, 
the  republican  pastor  prayed  for  the 
Queen  of  England  and  the  royal  fami- 
ly. It  was  not  democratic,  perhaps,  but 
it  was  Christian  and  hospitable,  and 
may  have  given  a  certain  comely  youth 
in  the  Spencer  pew  a  pleasant  home  feel- 
ing. 

In  no  other  way  was  the  presence  of 
royalty  and  high  nobility  noticed  in 
that  simple  "meeting-house"  on  the 
edge  of  the  great  prairie.  After  ser vi  ce 
all  passed  out  quietly  and  decorously — 
no  staring,  no  delay,  no  hanging  about 
the  doors.  Mr.  Spencer  has  always 
been  proud  of  the  behavior  of  his  neigh- 
bors on  that  occasion — so  unlike  that 
of  fashionable  New  York  worshippers, 
who  a  month  or  so  later,  almost 
mobbed  the  poor  young  prince  in  old 
Trinity. 

DAYS  OF  ROYAL  SPORT. 

On  Monday  the  carnival  of  sport 
began.  Hunters  and  dogs  were  driven 
to  grounds  at  some  distance,  where  the 
party,  increased  by  a  number  of  famous 
American  sportsmen  familiar  with  the 
prairie,  was  divided  into  four  detach- 
ments. 

The  Prince  of  Wales,  closely  accom- 
panied by  the  Duke  of  Newcastle  and 
Mr.  Spencer,  was  to  be  always  twenty 
minutes  in  advance  of  the  others — a 
regulation  thereafter  sternly  enforced 
by  the  two  governors.  This,  boys,  is 
the  free  and  independent  way  in  which 
a  young  crown  prince  goes  a-gunning! 

The  precaution  was  perhaps  doubly 
necessary,  for  not  only,  in  their  excite- 
ment over  novel  game,  might  those 
young  collegians.  Lords  Eliot  and  Ilin- 
chingbrooke,  shoot  a  Utile  wildly,  but 
the  prince  himself,  in  his  boyish  eager- 
ness, might,  while  "putting  up"  a  Hock 
of  prairie  chickens,  bring  down  an 
equerry  or  two. 

As  it  was,  he  hit  nothing  but  fair 


12 


IIISTOUY  OF  DWIGllT,  ILLINOIS. 


game,  and  he  hit  that  astonishingly  of- 
ten. Mr.  Spencer,  who  was  one  of  the 
shots  of  America,  and  who  recognized 
no  royal  road  to  the  honors  of  the  hunt- 
ing-field, was  surprised  at  his  exploits 
— almost  as  much  surprised  as  the 
young  fellow  himself,  whose  skill,  or 
luck,  seemed  to  increase  from  hour  to 
hour.  Knowing  he  had  to  compete 
with  the  crack  shots  of  the  prairies  he 
was  put  upon  his  mettle  to  prove  him- 
self worthy  his  associates  and  oppor- 
tunities. 

It  was  a  great  day  for  international 
sport.  The  weather  was  perfect,  the 
scent  fine,  the  dogs  of  the  lodge  were 
pronounced  admirable  for  training  and 
intelligence,  and  all  returned  to  their 
quarters  in  the  evening  safe  and  sound, 
laden  with  glory  and  game. 

Another  time  the  party  took  a  train 
to  new  and  even  richer  hunting  grounds 
where  all  day  long  the  birds  fell  about 
them  like  autumn  leaves  before  a  gale 
The  prince,  being  the  young  lion  of 
England,  was  of  course  awarded  a  gen- 
erous share  in  this  success.  He  was 
royally  happy.  At  last  he  had  found 
something  in  this  big,  rough  New 
World  worth  coming  for. 

However  far  they  may  have  tramped 
through  the  thick  prairie  grass,  under 
an  August  sun,  it  was  a  cheerful  com- 
pany that  sat  down  to  dinner  at  the 
lodge— sat  long  and  ate  '-like  hunters." 
Among  the  young  men,  seated  by  them- 
selves, there  was  usually  going  a  good 
deal  of  "chaff.''  One  of  the  college  boys, 
being  a  stammerer,  was  too  often  the 
victim,  but  took  all  in  good  humor. 
The  prince  had  to  take  his  turn. 

One  night,  over  the  coffee,  he  was 
chaffed  about  a  big  lot  of  birds  he  was 
to  send  to  England— it  being  insinuated 
that  he  made  a  miscount,  to  enhance 
that  day's  glory.  Snatching  a  candle 
from  a  candelabra,  he  ran  out  to  the 


game  storehouse  to  go  over  them  again, 
taking  a  witness  with  him,  and  soon 
returned  triumphant,  having  gained 
one  by  the  count. 

One  evening  there  was  even  unusual 
laughter  at  that  hilarious  table  over  a 
cartoon  in  Harpers'  Weekly,  represent- 
ing young  Albert  Edward,  returned  lo 
Windsor,  presenting  a  pretty  Yankee 
bride  to  the  queen.  The  prince,  most 
amused  of  all, exclaimed, '"I'll send  it  to 
my  mother!" 

Though  these  were  merry  fellows  all, 
their  merriment  was  restrained  within 
certain  bounds  by  refined  taste  and  that 
respect  for  elders  which  is  one  of  the 
finest  characteristics  of  well-bred  En- 
glish youth.  It  is  only  the  exception 
we  find  pilloried  in  Punch. 

The  elder  members  of  the  party  are 
remembered  by  their  entertainers  as  ex- 
ceedingly genial  gentlemen— with  per- 
hai'S  the  exception  of  the  Duke  of  New- 
castle, who  was  usually  haughty,  re- 
served and  austere  enough  to  stand  for 
the  traditional  type  of  a  great  English 
nobleman.  With  a  stern  sense  of  duty, 
and  small  sympathy  with  the  light- 
heartedness  and  lightheadedness  of 
youth- especially  of  youth  under  the 
shadow  of  the  throne — he  sometimes 
acted  as  a  killjoy  for  his  fun-loving 
charge,  never  hesitating  to  administer 
a  reproof  when  he  thought  it  would  be 
wholesome. 

I  remember  hearing  from  the  late  Mr. 
Sumner  an  instance  of  this  which  oc- 
curred during  a  call  on  the  royal  party 
in  Boston.  In  the  course  of  a  political 
talk  between  him  and  the  I)uke  of  New- 
castle, the  character  and  career  of  Mr. 
Gladstone  coming  under  discussion, 
the  Prince  of  Wales,  who  had  been  lis- 
tening quietly,  broke  in  with,  "Yes, 
Mr.  Sumner,  Mr.  Gladstone  is  one  of 
the  foremost  men  in  English  poli- 
tics " 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


13 


"Tut,  tut,  toy!  What  do  you  know 
about  English  politics?"  said  the  awful 
governor. 

What  heir  of  an  American  railroad 
king  would  have  stood  such  a  snubbing  V 
This  heir  of  a  hundred  kings  flushed 
and  was  silent.  He  "tOok  it  out,'' how- 
ever, the  next  night  at  a  delightful 
ball,  where  he  said  to  his  pretty  part- 
ner: . 

"I  don't  have  half  enough  of  this  sort 
of  thing,  you  know.  I  hope  to  come  to 
America  again  some  time,  without  my 
nurses." 

I  believe  there  is  a  melancholy  tradi- 
tion at  West  Point  of  the  prince  being 
sent  to  bed  at  the  very  hour  he  was  ex- 
pected in  the  ball-room. 

To  return  to  D wight.  Whatever  the 
fascination  of  the  hunting  field,  the 
prince  and  his  party  observed  with 
scrupulous  punctuality  the  hour  for 
dinner— always  giving  themselves  time 
to  dress  properly  for  that  solemn  En- 
glish function. 

All  seemed  to  keenly  relish  their  re- 
pasts, and  little  wonder.  There  were 
two  accomplished  cooks  in  the  kitchen, 
who  prepared  for  them  in  many  deli- 
cious ways  the  first  venison  of  the  sea- 
son and  fatted  prairie  fowl,  as  well  as 
the  choicest  fish  and  domestic  meats. 
Of  course  the  best  vegetables  and  fruit 
in  the  market  were  provided,  while 
fresh  butter  and  eggs  were  made  and 
laid  for  them  daily. 

ret  their  anxious  little  hostess  says 
she  was  "much  comforted"'  by  hearing 
that  the  prince  and  his  party  after- 
ward declared  the  best  dinners  they 
had  in  America  were  at  "the  Spencer 
Lodge." 

The  royal  party  took  everywhere  with 
them. their  wines,  as  well  as  bath-tubs. 
The  only,  lights  ever  used  about  the 
Prince  of  Wales  were  wax  candles — 
gas  being  considered  unwholesome  and 


oil  lamps  dangerous,  as  well  as  demo- 
cratic 

There  were  other  precautions  taken 
for  the  young  man's  safety — unobtru- 
ive,  but  never  relaxed.  At  Mr.  Spen- 
cer's place  all  looked  after  his  comfort 
and  security— men,  women,  small 
boys  and  those  faithful  guardians,  the 
dogs. 

The  only  one  of  the  household  who 
was  evidently  free  from  care  was  the 
object  of  all  this  solicitude.  He  never 
seemed  to  feel  his  nearness  to  the 
grandest  throne  in  the  world. 

HOW  THE  PRINCE  APPEARED. 

The  family  who  entertained  him  at 
Dwight  thirty-three  years  ago  have 
still  very  clear  recollections  of  his  ap- 
pearence  and  manner.  He  was  slight 
then,  and  had  an  abundance  of  soft 
brown  hair.  His  face  was  as  now, 
Guelphic  of  contour,  but  attractive  in 
color  and  expression.  His  blue  eyes 
beamed  with  good  humor  and  a  great 
joy  in  life.  He  seemed  quite  free  from 
self-consciousness — was  never  brusque 
or  impatient  or  arrogant  toward  his 
associates,  while  to  laboring  men  and 
sarvants  he  was  singularly  considerate. 

Even  at  that  early  age  he  showed 
the  fine  social  tact  for  which  he  has 
since  been  distinguished,  and  the  mem- 
ory of  names  and  faces  which  he  seems 
to  have  wisely  cultivated. 

In  place  of  regal  dignity  he  had  the 
social  defence  of  perfect  courtesy.  If 
he  encountered  rough  men  in  the  hunt- 
ing field,  they  were  not  rough  to  him 
nor  were  they  unduly  familiar,  even 
when  after  handling  his  game,  he 
stopped  to  wash  his  hands  at  the 
pump  in  the  yaid,  or  when  on  the 
tramp,  he  laughed  with  them  over 
some  rediculous  Western  story. 

To  this  day  he  keenly  enjoys  Ameri. 
can  humor,  with  all  its  absurdities  and 


14 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


wild  extravageneies.  To  those  who 
knew  him  best  during  that  visit  he 
was  always  the  same  good-natured, 
unassuming  Eng.'ish  boy,  and  even  now 
that  he  is  more  of  a  grand  personage 
than  ever,  being  a  grand  father  and  a 
'mighty  hunter" — having  chased  tigers 
on  elephant-back  in  India— they  cannot 
believe  that  all  the  endearing  traits  of 
the  lad  who  shot  small  game  at  Dwight 
with  such  content  have  dissapeared 
from  the  character  of  the  man. 

The  result  of  his  last  day's  sport  was 
so  astonishing  that  the  prince,  over  his 
huge  pile  of  birds,  lamented  the  necess- 
ity of  moving  on,  saying,  "I  would  like 
to  stay  here  shooting  for  a  month 
longer;  its  the  only  real  fun  I  have  had 
in  America." 

That  evening  he  almost  overwhelmed 
his  hosts  with  thanks  for  their  kindness 
to  "so  troublesome  a  guest,  and  paid  a 
grateful  compliment  to  his  young  hos- 
tess, whose  deft  management  had 
made  them  all  so  comfortable  at  the 
lodge.  He  ended  by  shyly  placing  in 
her  husband's  hand  "a  little  souvenir" 
for  her. 

It  was  a  besutilul  jeweled  bracelet 
bearing  his  arms  and  motto.  She  re 
oeived  also  from  him  a  fine  engraved 
portrait  bearing  his  autograph,  and  an 
album  containing  portraits  of  his  fam- 
ily party.  To  Mr.  Spencer  he  later 
sent  a  valuable  token  of  rememberance. 
He  was  not  mean— young  Albert  Ed- 
ward. 

On  the  last  morning  of  his  visit  he 
planted  a  tree  before  the  house,  which, 
at  the  host's  request  he  christened 
"Renfrew  Lodge."  Then  with  corteous 
adieux  to  all,  not  forgetting  the  dogs, 
he  departed  with  his  suit  for  St.  Louis, 
from  whence,  that  nigh,  there  came 
from  him  a  homesick  telegram . 

With  the  going  of  those  pleasant 
guests  silence  settled  on  the  lodge  and 


a  listless,  let-down  feeling  on  the  hearts 
of  Its  inmates;  yet  they  were  not  with- 
out comfort  in  the  thought  that  their 
anxious  care  had  kept  all  harm  from 
that  boyish,  genial  Baron  Renfrew,  heir 
to  the  throne  of  England  and  all  her 
mighty  dependencies. 


There  are  a  few  interesting  items  in 
connection  with  the  visit  of  the  prince 
we  have  secured  that  have  never  been 
published,  which  we  present: 

James  Spencer  was  an  expert  hunts- 
man and  had  a  reputation  far  and  wide 
and  it  might  be  said  that  his  reputa- 
tion was  one  cause  that  brought  the 
Prince  to  Dwight.  Mr. Spencer  accom  - 
panied  him  on  all  his  hunts  and  was 
very  much  pleased  with  him.  The 
riding  about  the  country  was  done  in  a 
two  seated  buggy  belonging  to  Col.  R. 
P.  Morgan.  The  buggy  was  about  the 
"finest  in  the  land"  at  that  time.  Col. 
Morgan  then  resided  and  owned  the 
residence  (Hahn  property)  now  occu- 
pied by  the  offices  of  the  Keeley  League, 
which  was  considered  a  very  fine  house 
in  those  days,  and  it  was  a  common 
occurrence  for  deer  and  wolf  to  be  close 
to  the  house,  and  we  understand,  in 
one  instance  deer  was  shot  on  the 
grounds. 

During  the  Prince's  visit  Col.  Mor- 
gan entertained  Lord  Lyon,  then 
British  council  to  the  United  States, 
and  the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  and  rep- 
resentatives of  the  London  Times.  New 
York  Herald  and  other  large  news- 
papers. 

The  Prince  gave  a  dinner  once  a  day 
and  Col.  Morgan  was  always  an  hon- 
ored guest.  The  Prince  at  the  time  and 
after  his  departure  made  many  gifts  in 
rememberance  of  kindnesses  shown 
him,  one  in  particular  that  has  been 
given  us  that  deserves  special  mention. 
The  prince  called  Col.  Morgan  into  his 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


15 


room  one  day  and  presented  him  with 
handsome  gold  shirt  buttons,  sleeve 
buttons  and  vest  buttons,  saying  in 
substance  that  he  wished  him  to  accept 
them  as  a  slight  token  of  his  respect 
for  him  and  for  kindnesses  extended  to 
the  royal  party.  The  case  containing 
the  buttons  presented  to  the  Colonel 
bears  the  manufacturers'  name  as  fol- 
lows: 

R.  &S.  Garrard  &  Co. 

Goldsmiths,  Jewelers,  Etc., 

to  the  Queen, 

His  Royal  Highness,  The  Prince  Consort 

and  all  the  Royal  Family, 

Panton  Street,  London . 

A  very  fine  photograph  of  the  Prince 


was  presented  by  him  to  Mrs.  Morgan, 
which  is  now  in  the  posession  of  Ed. 
Morgan,  of  Bloomington,  111. 

While  the  recollection  of  the  oldest 
inhabitant  does  not  recall  the  time 
when  the  Colonel  was  seen  wearing 
these  gorgeous  gold  trimmings  of  roy- 
alty, it  is  needless  to  say  that  he  prizes 
them  very  highly. 

This  chapter  will  close  the  reminis- 
censes  of  the  royal  visit  and  we  shall 
now  proceed  with  the  history  of  more 
democratic  people  and  things  and  prob- 
ably more  interesting  to  our  readers. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


16 


CHAPTER  III. 


EARLY  SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  VILLAGE. 


THE  VILLAGE  OF  DWIGHT. 

"When  flrst  this  village  D.  was  thouglit. 
The  friends  of  D.  some  others  fought, 
To  give  a  little  name,  and  birtli 
To  homes  of  clay,  and  joyous  mirth. 
Tills  settled,  and  a  sign  they  placed 
To  guide  tlie  weary  wanderer  to  rest: 
A  hickory  ix)le  of  twenty-two  feet, 
A  rust  pan  did  gracefully  o'erleap." 

Dwight  is  situated  on  the  main  line 
of  the  Chicago,  Alton  &  St.  Louis  Rail- 
road, at  the  junction  of  its  Western  Di- 
vision, and  is  about  seventy  miles  from 
Chicago,  and  twenty  miles  from  Pon- 
tiac,  the  county  seat.  It  is  a  place  of 
about  2,000  inhabitants,  is  the  third  in 
size,  and  one  of  the  most  important 
shipping  points  in  the  county.  The 
repair  shops  and  the  round  house  of  the 
Western  Division  of  the  Chicago,  Alton 
&  St.  Louis  Railroad  are  located  here, 
as  well  as  the  headquarters  of  the  bridge 
builders  of  the  main  line.  The  tank 
men  were  stationed  here  when 
they  moved  their  headquarters  to 
Bloomington.  A  large  number  of  men 
employed  by  the  two  roads  live  in  the 
village  of  Dwight,  and  have  all  their 
interests  centering  here. 

Dwight  was  surveyed  by  Nelsoii  Buck, 
deputy  County  Surveyor,  for  Amos 
Edwards,  the  regular  surveyor  of  the 
county,  in  the  fall  of  1853,  for  R.  V. 
Morgan,  Jr.,  Jas.  C.  Spencer,  John 
Lathrop  and  J.  and  K.  W.  Fell,  who 
owned  the  land  on  which  it  stands.  The 


original  town  embraced  the  southwest 
quarter  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  Sec- 
tion 4;  also  the  northwest  quarter  of 
the  northeast  quarter,  and  the  northeast 
quarter  of  the  northwest  quarter  of 
Section  9,  Township  30  north.  Range  7 
east  of  the  Third  Principal  Meridian, 
and  on  the  30th  day  of  January,  1854, 
was  dedicated  by  Mr,  Morgan,  and  the 
plat  admitted  to  record.  The  following 
are  his  dedicating  words:  "To  be  known 
as  the  town  of  Dwight,  and  the  streets 
and  alleys  described  on  the  town  plat 
are  hereby  donated  to  the  public."  It 
was  named  for  Henry  Dwight,  of  Xevv 
York,  who  was  a  capitalist,  and  furnish- 
ed the  money  to  build  the  road  from 
Joliet  to  Bloomington,  known  now  as 
the  Chicago,  Alton  &St.  Louis  Railroad. 
He  is  said  to  have  lost  a  fortune  in  the 
construction  of  this  road,  and  as  a  com- 
pliment to  him,  and  in  honor  of  his 
noble  deeds,  his  name  was  given  to  the 
new  village,  which,  in  spite  uf  eltorts  to 
change  it,  it  has  ever  since  borne.  In 
this  year  (1858) considerable  excitement 
was  caused  by  an  effort  on  the  part  of 
some  citizens  to  change  the  name  of 
our  town.  There  was  a  leading  politi- 
cian here  named  Tom  Little,  known 
more  familiarly  as  "Jersey."  He  and 
some  others  (who  formed  a  clique 
which  he  led)  tried  to  have  the  name 
changed  to  "Beckman,"  the  name  of  a 
county    in    New  York    State.    R.    P. 


Geo,  Z.  Flagler. 


James  Smith, 


Nathan  Baker. 

(arjd  grandd-jild, ) 


W.  H.  Conrad. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLIJ^OIS. 


17 


Morgan  and  his  party  worked  for  the 
name  of  "Dvvight,"  whilst  a  third  party 
toiled  in  behalf  of  the  euphonious  ap- 
pellation "Dogtown."  The  excitement, 
we  are  told,  was  intense,  and  11.  P. 
Morgan's  party  were  ultimately  success- 
ful, winning  their  point  by  a  single 
vote. 

We  are  told  that  the  very  first  indi- 
cation of  a  town  Was  the  raising  of  a 
telegraph  pole,  with  a  tin  pan  nailed 
on  top,  wh'ch  served  as  a  landmark  and 
guide  to  the  surveyors  engaged  on  the 
Chicago,  Alton  &  St.  Louis  Kailroad,  or, 
as  then  known,  the  Chicago  &  Missis- 
sippi Railroad.    The    history    of    this 
great  railroad,  one  of  the  leading  roads 
in  the  State  of  Illinois,  is  so  well  known 
that  any  notice  of   it  in    these  pages 
seems  almost  superlhious.    The   enter- 
prise was  begun   in    1853,    under    the 
style   of   the    Chicago    &   Mississippi 
Railroad  Company,  with  the  intention 
of  building  a  railroad  from  Joliet  to 
Alton.    The  road  was  located  by  Oliver 
11.  Lee,  Chief  Engineer  of  the  compa- 
ny, and  the  work  pushed  forward  under 
the  supervision  of  Assistant  Engineers 
R.  P.  Morgan,  Jr.,  II.  A.  Gardner  and 
Jas.  A.  Sp-ncer,  with  such  vigor  and 
dispatch  that  on  the  4th  day  of  July, 
1854,  the  first  passenger  train  passed 
over  the  new  road.    Sinnce  that  event, 
its  history  is  so  familiar  to  all  as  to 
need  no  comment  here.    Suffice  to  say, 
it    is   one    of    the    advantages    that 
has  made  the  village  of  D^ight  what 
it  is— a  fact  of  which  Its  citizens  are 
awiire.  and  appreciate  accordingly. 

In  1809,  the  Western  Division  of  the 
C.  &  A.  R.  R.,  which  leaves  the  main 
line  at  D wight,  was  begun  and  com- 
pleted, and  trains  running  over  it  in 
1870.  This  makes  Dwight  quite  a  rail- 
road center. 

The  first  house  or  cabin  in  the  village 
of  Dwight  was   built  by  a  man  from 


Morris,  whose  name  is  now  forgotten. 
It  was  a  frame  building,  16x24  feet,  one 
and  a  half  stories  high,  erected  on  Lot 
8,  Block  18,  in  1853,  and  was  built  origi- 
nally for  a  store  or  a  kind  of  supply 
depot  for  the  railroad  hands,  and  finally 
passed  into  the  possession  of  Dr.  Ilag- 
erty. 

The  first  permanent  residence  erect- 
ed in  the  village  was  by  Augustus 
Wesi,  on  Lots  18  and  19,  in  Block  7,  and 
was  completed  in  June,  1854.  Mr.  West 
came  to  the  State  in  1853,  and  early  in 
1854  came  to  Dwight,  and  beheld  the 
sickly  village  of  forty  years  ago 
grow  up  into  a  prosperous  young 
city. 

In  1854,  John  Campbell  put  up  a  tem- 
porary eating  house,  which  was  the  first 
place  of  public  entertainment  the  vil- 
lage knew.    The  trains  stopped  at  it 
for  dinner  and  supper,  which  arrange- 
ment was  continued  until  1855,  when  it 
was  purchased  by  Hiram  Cornell,  who 
came  from  J^ew  Tork,  and  who  con- 
ducted it  as  a  hotel  for  some  time.  The 
following  story  is  told  of  him  during 
his  first  winter  as  "mine  host."  He  had 
a  barrel  of  whisky  (without  which  the 
Western  hotel  was  never  found  in  those 
early   days),    and    from    some    cause, 
wholly   unaccountable,    it   "froze  up" 
during  the  first  cold  snap,  nor  could  he 
get  it  near  enough  to  the  fire  nor  the 
fire  hot  enough  to  thaw  it  out;  and  so  it 
remained  until  Spring  came  with  its 
warm  days.    Cornell  remained  in  this 
little  shanty  until  he  built  the  "Dwight 
House,"  the  first  regular  hotel  in  the 
village,  in  1855.    Since  the  erection  of- 
this  hostlery,  many  changes  have  taken 
place  in  the  hotel  business,  as  well  as 
in  all  other  lines  represented  in  Dwight 
On  the  first  of  August,  1854.  the  rail 
road  was  opened  through  from  St.  Louis 
to  Chicago,  and  it  has  ever  since  been  in 


18 


IIISTUllY  OF  DWIUIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


operation,  excepting  the  period  of  snow 
blockade  in  the  winters  of  1855-0. 

The  village  tlius  established  was  des- 
tined to  grow.  The  sanguine  expecta- 
tions of  promoters  are  not  always 
crowned  with  success,  but  it  was  evi- 
dent from  the  hrst  that  Dwight  was 
going  to  be  a  village  of  some  preten- 
sions. Gradually  it  settled  up,  first  one 
and  then  another  finding  a  home  with- 
in its  boundaries. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  population 
began  to  increase  in  another  way,  and 
ia  January  1855  the  first  child  was  born 
here  to  a  daughter  of  Mrs.  N.  Iliggs,  of 
JDwight.  Time  passed  quickly  away, 
and  the  people  were  busy  in  improv- 
ing the  town,  and  others  kept  moving 
in. 

The  first  regular  store  was  bui.'t  by 
David  McWilliams,  in  1855.  It  was 
painted  white,  and,  like  the  telegraph 
pole  surmounted  by  the  tin  pan,  before 
alluded  to,  served  as  a  way  mark  to  all 
in  search  of  the  new  village.  It  is  said 
that  the  first  sale  made  by  Mr.  McWil- 
liams, after  opening  a  store  here,  was  a 
lawn  dress  pattern,  which  the  workmen 
presented  to  the  wife  of  the  Station 
Master  of  the  railroad.  Tlie  store  seems 
to  have  been  a  house  of  general  accom 
modation,  and  was  vised  as  a  place  of 
worship,  and  also  as  shelter  for  the  new 
comers  of  those  early  times  until  they 
had  found  a  permanent  place  to  lay 
their  heads. 

A  few  other  stores  were  in  operation 
and  one  hotel  invited  the  attention  of 
weary  and  hungering  humanity.  In 
neighborhoods  contiguous  to  Dwight 
coal  was  found,  and  after  years  saw 
towns  spring  up  which  owed  their  ex- 
istence and  sustenance  to  the  coal  beds. 
The  more  rapidly  tiie  surrounding 
country  filled  up  the  more  rapidly  musr 
the  town  grow.  And  it  is  not  surpris- 
ing therefore  that  when  the  Prince    of 


Wales  visited  theneighborhoodin  1800, 
but  a  few  years  after  tbe  formation  of 
the  town,  it  was  a  thriving  village  of 
about  400  inhabitants,  and  having 
about  one  hundred  buildings.  The  re- 
porters ot  that  period  who  communi- 
cated information  to  the  New  York 
papers  were  gifted  men,  and  spoke  in 
high  praise  *)f  the  town,  its  surround- 
ings and  its  inhabitants.  We  are  not 
surprised  at  this,  for  we  liave  always 
noticed  that  when  a  man  speaks  well 
of  us,  he  is  an  intelligent  and  a  gifted 
man. 

The  year  1854  was  a  memorable  one 
in  our  history;  for  with  it  came  some 
of  the  most  prominent  men  who  have 
resided  here.  It  was  ni  this  year  that 
John    Conant,  Esq.    emigrated    from 

Rochester,  Ohio,  accompanied  by  Geo. 
T.  and  Henry  F.  Lonant.  The  latter 
died  herd  Sept.  22,  1858.  Mr.  ('on- 
ant  was  a  man  of  facts,  a  strong  total 
abstinence  man  and  a  Congregation- 
alist  by  profession.  He  served  that 
body  as  Clerk  for  thirteen  years  in  ttie 
cliurch  to  which  he  belonged.  He  was 
an  officer  in  the  war  of  181 2  and  belonged 
to  the  same  regiment  as  Grandfather 
Kockwell,  but  was  not  detailed  for  ser- 
vice, yet  he  helped  the  soldiers  on  their 
way  to  Boston.  In  politics  he  was'  a 
strong  Republican :  but,  like  every  right 
minded  and  honorable  man,  he  always 
regarded  the  rights  of  others  as  sacred 
as  his  own. 

The  following  brief  personnel  of  Mr. 
Conant  we  take  from  a  sketcli  of  Sab- 
bath School  Organization  by  David 
McWilliams,  Esq.:  "Father  Conant  was 
a  man  of  large  physical  frame,  weighing 
I  should  suppose  at  least  240  pounds,  a 
large  well  proportioned  man  in  all  re- 
spects, possessedof  more  than  ordinary 
talent,  with  a  large  share  of  good  com- 
mon sense  entering  into  all  his  plans, 
riain  as  to  his  appearance  and  with 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


19 


the  modesty  and  diflidence  of  a  bashful 
lad,  it  was  ahvays  very  embarrassing 
for  him  to  preside  on  any  piblic  occa- 
sion and  for  tliis  reason  declined  to  act 
as  our  first  Sunday  School  Superinten- 
dent. He  was  our  tirst  Postmaster, 
first  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  a  man 
whose  well  balanced  life  was  such  as  to 
command  the  respect,  and  veneration  of 
all  that  knew  him.  He  was  a  man  well 
adapted  for  a  new  country:  his  parents 
having  been  pioneers  in  the  Western 
part  of  Massachusetts  when  he  was  a 
mere  lad,  and  when  arriving  at  man- 
hood emigrated  to  the  wilds  of  Ohio, 
wliich  was  a  vast  -wilderness  at  that 
time,  and  then  when  in  the  decline  of 
life  came  to  this  new  country  and 
helped  to  mould  its  institutions." 

One  of  Mr.  Conant's  daughters  had 
married  Mr.  Cutler,  who  resided  in  tiiis 
neighborhood. 

The  cholera  made  its  appearance  this 
year  and  was  anything  but  a  welcome 
guest.  One  young  man  died,  and  a 
man  who  kept  a  shanty  grocery  moved 
to  the  German  settlement,  wliere  it  is 
said  he  died  also.  Mr.  Colgate  was 
taken  with  it,  but  Mr.  Cutler  took  him 
to  his  house  and  attended  to  him,,  so 
that  he  afterwards  recovered.  Mr. 
Cutler  had  had  experience  in  this  de- 
partment when  he  was  steward  in  the 
i»eaf  and  Dumb  Asylum  of  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

It  was  in  this  year  too,  that  Major 
McDowell  came  to  this  town  from  IIol- 
lidaysburg,  Pa.  He  had  resided  in  that 
city  for  some  time,  where  he  had  suc- 
cessfully carried  on  the  banking  busi- 
ness. He  purchased  several  thousand 
acres  of  land  in  this  vicinity,  and  became 
one  of  our  most  prominent  and  active 
citizens.  He  was  a  man  of  large  heart 
and  generous  nature.  When  the  coun- 
try was  visited  with  that  ever  memor- 
able snow  storm,  which  blocked  up  the 


trafhc  on  the  railroad  between  this 
placeand  OdeII,some  liundredand  fifty 
passengers  were  brought  to  this  town 
for  shelter  and  sustenance.  Provisions 
were  low  at  the  time  and  the  town  was 
composed  of  only  a  few  buildings 
There  was  the  station  house,  John 
Campbell  had  a  small  eating  house,  Mr. 
West  had  a  house,  there  was  a  small 
house  where  Dr,  Ilagerty's  family  lived 
a  small  boarding  house  for  railroad 
hands,  and  a  grocery  shanty  with  two 
families  living  in  it;  these  composed 
the  town  of  Dwight.  Major  McDowell 
promptly  despatched  his  team  to  the 
town  and  took  a  number  ot  the  ladies 
into  his  house,  where  he  entertained 
them,  and  made  them  comfortable  dur- 
ing the  terrible  storm.  The  above  is 
spoken  of  in  another  place  but  this  is  a 
different  account. 

The  town  n"as  fast  runmng  out  of 
provisions  and  famine  stared  them  in 
the  face;  but  the  storm  abating  a  little, 
word  was  sent  to  Morris,  and  the  good 
people  of  that  town  sent  two  sleigh 
loads  of  provisions  to  the  aid  of  the 
people. 

'Squire  Mcllduff  came  from  Cass- 
ville,  Pa,,  to  this  totvn  in  the  same  year 
as  Major  McDowell,  and  claims  to  have 
plowed  the  first  furrow  in  Dwight.  He 
also  drove  the  first  stock  to  this  town. 
He  afterwards  built  a  small  house  on 
his  farm  and  has  been  a  resident  of 
Dwight  ever  since. 

In  1855,  the  population  of  the  little 
village  was  augmeuted  by  the  arrival  of 
Hiram  Cornell  and  wife,  George  Flagler 
and  family,  ,  W.  H.  Clarkson  and  fami- 
ly, Isaac  II.  J5aker  and  family,  David 
McWilliams,  S.  L.  II.  Ramsey  and  fam- 
ily in  June;  also  Jeremiah  Travis  and 
family  in  August;  and  in  the  fall  of 
the  year  Wm.  II,  Ivetchum  and  family, 
13.  Losee  and  family,  and  Dr.  J.  H, 
Hagerty.       The   latter    graduated  at 


20 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  1852. 
and  was  a  prominent  physician,  and 
practiced  his  profession  here  until  180:], 
from  which  time  until  his  death,  Sep- 
tember 1,  1873,  he  acted  as  consulting 
physician  only.  The  others  were  of  the 
solid  citizens  of  the  village. 

Dr.  Hagerty  was  a  man  of  cultivated 
refined  tastes,  and  helped  largely  to 
build  up  the  present  educational  sys- 
tem in  Dwight,  In  the  early  days  of 
his  practice  he  had  calls  from  all  parts 
of  the  county  and  was  in  general  re- 
quest . 

Hiram  Cornell  bought  out  John 
Campbell's  eating  house,  and  built  the 
llrst  hotel  in  the  town,  known  as  "The 
Dwight  House."  David  McWilliams 
built  his  store  in  the  same  year.  It  was 
painted  white,  and  when  the  farmers, 
coming  from  a  distance  caught  sight  of 
the  white  building,  they  made  tracks  ac- 
cordingly. Early  in  March  of  1855  Mr. 
McWilliams  began  the  erection  of  a 
building  for  a  store,  size  20z32,  two 
stories  high.  A  few  loads  of  lumber 
were  hauled  on  the  vacant  corner  op- 
posite the  Methodist  church,  on  Mazou 
avenue,  but  it  seemed  so  far  away  from 
the  depot  that  he  was  prevailed  upon 
to  change  his  local  ion  to  the  place 
where  the  postoffice  and  bank  building 
now  stands.  He  soon  added  40  feet  in 
the  rear  of  it,  and  24  feet  in  the  front, 
as  well  as  filling  up  the  sides.  So  his 
old  store  occupied  32x9(5  feet,  and  thus 
remained  until  187(5,  when  he  erected 
the  building  now  occupied  by  McWil- 
liams «fc  Smith,  and  soon  after  the  old 
store  was  torn  down  and  the  pres- 
ent postofiice  and  bank  building  erected 
instead.  The  first  article  of  merchan- 
dise sold  by  Mr.  McWilliams  in  Dwight 
was  a  shilling  lawn  dress.  The  store 
served  also  as  a  place  of  worsliip,  a 
shelter  for  new  comers  until  they 
"pitched  their  tents,''  and,  in  fact,  as 


a  place  of  refuge  in  those  early  times. 

Prairie  fires  were  frequent  at  this 
period,  and  many  persons  lost  property, 
some  nearly  losing  their  lives.  Nelson 
Cornell  was  out  hunting  one  day  on  the 
east  side  of  the  town  and  when  return- 
ing saw  an  immense  prairie  fire  ap- 
proaching. In  order  to  save  his  life  he 
burnt  the  grass  where  he  was  and  stood 
on  the  hot  ground  wJiile  the  larger  fire 
swept  past  him,  nearly  suffocating  him 
with  smoke  and  ashes. 

The  first  Sunday  School  was  organ- 
ized in  April,  1855.  John  Conant  was 
elected  superintendent,  but  as  he  re- 
fused to  serve,  John  Routzeng  was 
elected  in  his  place. 

The  first  appointment  for  a  religious 
meeting  in  Dwight  was  in  the  house  of 
Nelson  Cornell.  It  was  just  before  tlie 
great  storm.  A  few  people  gathered 
but  no  preacher  put  in  his  appearance. 
Those  who  attended  meeting  at  that 
time  did  so  either  at  the  log  school 
house  on  che  Mazon  creek,  or  at  Eber 
Stevens'  barn.  Local  preachers  or  ex- 
horters  supplied  the  congregation. 

The  first  public  religious  services 
held  in  this  town  were  in  a  building 
afterwards  occupied  by  J.  J.  Gore,  on 
Lot  17  Block  (j.  It  was  used  before  the 
building  was  really  finished,  and  thirty- 
seven  persons  attended  the  first  school 
service  on  May  15, 1855.  The  following 
are  all  of  the  names  of  those  present 
that  we  can  now  ascertain:  D.  McAVil- 
liams,  Sec'y.,  John  Conant,  Mrs.  Con- 
ant, Samuel  Cutler,  Mrs.  Cutler,  Henry 
Conant,  Miss  Meltina  Earl,  Henry  and 
George  Cutler,  Robert  Thompson  and 
several  members  of  his  family,  John 
Routzeng,  Simeon  Lutz,  J.  Travis,  Au- 
gustus West,  N.  E.  Lyman,  and  Asliley 
lientley.  The  first  sermon  actually 
reached  in  the  town  was  preached  over 
the  store  of  D.  McWilliams  on  the  Sec- 
ond Sunday  in  June,  1855,  by  the  Rev. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


21 


A.  D.  Field,  of  the  Koek  River  Confer- 
ence. While  here  that  gentleman 
formed  the  first  religious  society  in  the 
town;  it  was  composed  of  six  mem- 
bers. 

'SVe  take  the  following  from  the  Liv- 
ingston county  history  of  1878,  regard- 
ing churches: 

As  already  noted,  the  first  sermon 
preached  in  Dwitfht.  was  by  Rev.  xV.  D. 
Field,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  in  1855.  His  circuit,  known  as 
the  "Mazon  Circuit,"  embraced  all  that 
tract  of  country  soutu  of  the  Illinois 
River,  and  extending  from  Morris  to 
Avoca  Township.  The  society  was  or- 
ganized with  six  members,  viz  :  Simeon 
Lutz,  .John  Routzong,  Isaac  Baker, 
Isabella  Baker,  David  Mc Williams  and 
Jeremiah  Travis.  John  Routzong  was 
appointed  leader  of  the  class.  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Field  preached  a  few  times 
during  the  summer,  and  at  the  next 
meeting  of  the  Conference,  two  minis- 
ters were  appointed  to  the  "Mazon  Cir- 
cuit," and  Dwight  became  one  of  the 
regular  preaching  places.  From  this 
time  forward,  there  was  preaching  ev- 
ery alternate  Sunday  ir^  the  school 
house,  then  just  built.  In  1862,  the  so- 
ciety was  struck  off  from  the  Mazon 
Circuit,  and  Rev.  O.  W.  Pollard  ap- 
pointed to  the  charges  of  Dwight,  Odell 
and  Pontiac.  The  society  erected  their 
first  building  in  1858,  was  dedicated  in 
July  of  that,  year  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Kid 
der,  of  Evanstou.  About  1862  63,  the 
society  had  so  increased  in  numbers  as 
to  necessitate  the  enlargement  of  their 
building,  and  it  was  lengthened  twenty 
tV.et,  For  nine  years  they  worshiped 
in  this  building,  when  their  present 
elegant  church  was  erected,  at  a  cost  of 
$16,000,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev,  E. 
D.  Hall,  and  dedicated  in  October,  1867, 
by  Rev,  Dr,  Eddy,  then  of  Chicago.  It 
is  a  handsomely  finished  edifice,  is  capa- 


ble of  seating  about  500  persons,  and 
the  society  numbers  260  members,  with 
Rev.  C.  W.  Ayling  as  T^astor.  The  Sunday 
school  of  this  society  was  organized  at 
an  early  period,  and  is  in  a  flourishing 
condition.  Mr.  McWilliams  was  the 
first  Superintendent,  a  position  he  held 
for  thirteen  years  in  succession.  The 
present  Superintendent  is  Mr.    Menee- 

ly. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  society 
was  organized  in  Dwight  in  1856,  the 
next  year  after  the  Methodist,  The 
original  members  were  three  males  and 
five  females,  and  their  first  place  of 
worship  was  the  school  house,  in  which 
they  continued  to  hold  their  meetings 
until  the  next  year,  when  the  church 
now  occupudby  the  Danish  Methodists 
was  erected,  on  lots  donated  by  James 
C.  Spencer  and  R.  P,  Morgan.  This 
was  the  first  church  built  in  Dwight, 
and  cost  originally  S2,620.  The  pulpit 
was  filled  by  various  ministers  irregu- 
larly, until  1869,  when  Rev.  L.  F.  Walk- 
er was  called  to  the  charge.  In  the 
Fall  ot  1871,  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev, 
W,  L.  Loyd,  who  filled  the  pulpit  until 
1873,  The  Elders  of  the  church  were 
Hugh  Thompson,  Robert  Thompson, 
James  George,  James  Paul  and  John 
C.  George,  The  property  was  sold  by 
the  association  through  S,  T,  K,  Prime, 
about  two  years  ago  to  the  Danish 
Methodist  society.  Rev.  Wilhelmsen 
is  the  pastor  and  the  organization  is  in 
a  flourishing  condition. 

The  next  society  organized  was  the 
Congregational.  December  1, 1865,  the 
first  sermon  was  preached  in  this  faith, 
by  Rev.  J.  A.  Montgomery,  a  student 
from  the  Congregational  Seminary  of 
Chicago.  Their  meetings  were  held  in 
•'Gerson's  Hall."  On  the  12th  of  Jan- 
uary, 1866,  a  'council  of  delegates'  from 
the  neighboring  churches  was  con- 
vened, and  invited  to  give  advice  re- 


22 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


garding  the  permanent  organization  of 
a  church,  and  eleven  persons  identified 
themselves  with  the  congregation.  In 
1867,  an  effort  was  made  to  build  a 
church,  the  lots  procured,  and  the  build- 
ing commenced.  In  January,  1868,  their 
present  elegant  church  was  dedicated, 
free  from  debt.  The  total  cost  of  the 
building,  grounds,  etc.,  was  $5,425.  Rev. 
J.  A.  Montgomery  was  pastor  from  the 
first  organization  of  the  the  church  un- 
til 1873,  when  he  accepted  a  call  to 
Morris,  and  the  pulpit  was  afterwards 
filled  by  Rev.  W.  C.  Rogers  and  several 
others,  with  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  members.  It  has  a  flourishing 
Sabbath  school,  with  an  attendance  of 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty,  of  which 
Miss  Florence  Thompson  is  superinten- 
dent. The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  E.  F. 
Wright,  who  is  accomplishing  excellent 
work  in  this  community. 

The  Baptists  made  the  next  effort, 
but  have  not,  from  some  cause  or  other, 
flourished  as  some  of  the  other  denom- 
inations have  done. 

The  German  Lutheran  Church  was 
built  in  1867,  and  cost  .'$1,400;  has  about 
fifty  members,  and  a  flourishing  Sunday 
school.  Rev,  Mr.  Schieitweig,  of  Ca- 
yuga, was  the  pastor  for  a  time. 

The  German  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion, or  Albright  Methodists,  have  a 
handsome  little  frame  church  edifice, 
22x30  feet,  which  cost  about  !&1,500.  The 


minister  is  Rev.  Geo,  Schwartz,  and  the 
society  has  a  good  membersliip.  A 
Sunday  school,  with  an  attendance  of 
about  forty  children,  is  carried  on. 

The  Danish  Lutherans  have  a  pretty 
little  frame  church,  built  a  few  years 
ago,  which  has  a  large  and  flourishing 
membership.  The  pastor  is  Rev.  Bek- 
ker. 

There  is  also  a  Roman  Catholic  church 
m  the  village,  with  a  membership 
of  about  fifty  families.  Their  church 
is  a  neat  and  tasty  little  building,  put 
up  at  a  cost  of  about  .§1,500,  The  pres- 
ent pastor  is  Father  Moore. 

In  1858  a  circumstance  occurred 
which  materially  affected  the  interests 
of  the  town.  For  a  period  of  several 
weeks  it  was  cut  off  from  all  mail  mat- 
ter and  from  all  communication  with 
the  outside  worla,  except  by  way  of 
Morris.  The  cause  of  this  is  to  be 
found  in  the  famous  quarrel  which  ex- 
isted at  that  time  between  Governor 
Mattison  under  his  lease  of  the  Chica- 
go &  Mississippi  RailroHd,  and  Hamil- 
ton Spencer  and  the  bondholders  of  the 
same  road.  The  dilliculiy  at  flrsc  ap- 
peared to  be  a  serious  one,  and  all 
tratlic  was  suspended  daring  the  time 
above  indicated.  The  difficulty  ended 
by  the  road  passing  into  tlie  hands  of 
the  bondholders,  an  event  which  large- 
ly conduced  to  the  welfare  and  prosper- 
ity of  Dwight, 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT.  ILLIJ^OIS. 


23 


CHAPTER  IV. 


REMINISCENCES  OF  WAR  TIMES. 


it  is  well  known  that  politics  and 
political  sentiments  have,  such  an  effect 
on  the  raiuds  of  men,  as  to  cause  many 
to  lose  sight  of  the  nobler  intlaences 
which  actuate-*  our  being.  And  in  this 
ffrnat  coLiitry  which  boasts  of  such  an 
unrivaled  tract  of  territory  it  is  per- 
fectly natural  that  the  people  should  be 
distinguished  by  such  names  as  North- 
erners and  Southerners.  But  when  we 
come  to  consider  that  a  great  differ- 
ence existed  between  the  two  in  thought, 
feeling,  social  law  and  commercial  en- 
terprise, it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at 
that  the  harmony  of  Union  was  rough- 
iv  shattered  in  the  way  it  was.  With- 
out entering  into  any  lengthy  discus- 
sion of  this  subject  we  may  safely  say 
that  according  to  the  old  state  of  thingfi, 
Union  could  never  have  been  success- 
fully maintained.  But  in  the  present 
aspect  of  affairs,  with  the  new  and 
grandest  policy  adopted,  with  the  feel- 
ing of  hearty  sympathy  which  is  rapid- 
ly gaining  ground,  we  see  a  noble,  a 
splendid  future,  not  only  for  the  South, 
but  for  the  United  States  of  America. 
Although  the  difficulties  existing  be- 
tween the  Northern  and  Southern 
States  had  been  rankling  for  years,  and 
although  it  was  evident  to  the  far  see- 
ing politician  that  war  must  necessari- 
ly follow,  yet  when  the  storm  burst 
upon  us  in  all  its  fury,  the  Xorth  was 
comparitively  unprepared  for  it. 


But  if  we  were  not  in  such  thorough 
readiness  as  we  might  have  been,  one 
thing  is  certain,  we  had  men  enough, 
and  men  of  the  right  stamp,  too,  to  fight 
the  battles  of  "Union"  and  "Freedom." 
When  it  became  known,  therefore,  that 
the  South  had  rebelled,  and  that  the 
government  was  in  need  of  recruits,  the 
men  from  northern  cities,  towns,  vil- 
lages and  even  farms  laid  down  the  im- 
plements of  industry  and  took  up  the 
deadly  weapons  of  war. 

Contemplating  that  eventful  period 
in  our  national  history,  the  mind  is 
filled  with  many  ideas  of  a  painful 
character.  Now  that  the  flush  of  vic- 
tory and  the  bitterness  of  defeat  have 
become  things  of  the  past,  we  may 
calmly  and  dispassionately  consider 
one  of  the  many  phases  of  that  terrible 
war. 

One  of  the  most  awful  thoughts  in 
connection  with  the  subject,  is  that  the 
hand  of  brother  was  raised  against 
brother,  father  against  son,  and  neigh- 
bor against  neighbor.  As  we  remem- 
ber that  all  the  pleasant  and  beautiful 
feelings  connected  with  happy  social 
life  were  rudely  dashed  aside,  and  the 
tenderest  and  holiest  ties  that  bind  us 
together  in  brotherly  love  were  fiercely 
broken,  it  brings  before  us  a  scene  of 
fearful  horror  and  profoundest  woe. 

But  while  we  mourn  over  the  awful 
character  and  natural  consequences  of 


34 


HISTORY  or  D  WIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


the  Rebellion,  we  have  reason  to  be 
grateful  for  its  happy  and  beneficent 
results.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that 
war  was  necessary  viuder  the  circum- 
stances, and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that 
it  was  necessary  for  this  great  country 
to  purge  itself  of  the  cause  of  slavery, 
and  show  itself  to  the  civilized  world 
as  the  great,  the  glorious,  the  free  Re- 
public of  United  America. 

At  the  very  commencement  of  the 
war  the  town  of  D wight  took  a  lively 
interest  in  the  national  proceedings. 
Our  town  has  always  been  Republican 
and  loyal,  and  in  the  hour  of  the  Gov- 
ernment's need  our  citizens  came  boldly 
to  the  front  at  the  call  of  duty. 

But  during  this  period,  however,  a 
large  amount  of  enthusiasm  was  de- 
veloped here,  as  in  many  other  places 
as  well;«and  in  the  years  61-62  the  inter- 
est and  excitement  which  prevailed  in 
the  town,  took  a  definite  form,  when 
some  of  our  citizens  cheerfully  gave  up 
the  pleasures  of  home  and  nvjbly  con- 
secrated themselves  to  the  service  of 
their  country.  It  is  something  very 
worthy  of  note  that  the  thirteenth 
military  company  to  report  in  the  state 
of  Illinois  was  from  Dwighi  and  vicin- 
ity and  Col.  Morgan  and  David  Mc- 
Williams  went  to  Springfield  to  tender 
the  same  to  the  governor. 

In  the  summer  of  this  year  Company 
B  was  organized,  under  the  call  of 
President  Lincoln  for  six  hundred 
thousand  men,  at  Dwight,  Livingston 
Co.,  111.,  by  Samuel  T.  Walkley,  and  was 
mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United 
States,  at  Pontiac,  111.,  on  September  8, 
1862,  forming  a  part  of  the  129th  Regi- 
ment Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  this 
Company  contained  all  the  men  who 
went  from  Dwight.  Some  enlisted  in 
other  regiments,  and  fought  bravely 
for  their  country.     But  as  Company  B, 


the  only  Volunteer  Company  organ- 
ized here,  it  is  with  that  one  this  his- 
tory has  to  deal. 

A  correct  list  of  the  officers  and  pri- 
vates, with  an  account  of  what  become 
of  each  man,  has  never  yet  been  pub- 
lished. 

The  task  of  preparing  such  a  list  for 
publication  has,  however,  now  been 
successfully  accomplished;  and  as  it 
forms  a  most  important  and  interest- 
ing part  of  the  history  of  our  town,  we 
here  present  it  to  the  reader: 


COMPANY    "b''    129th   regiment,   ILLI- 
NOIS   VOLUNTEER    INFANTRY. 
REGIMENTAL     AND     STAFF     OFFICERS. 

Henry  Case,  Colonel. 

A.  J.  Cropsey,  Lieutenant-Colonel. 

Thomas  H.Flynn,  Major. 

H.  C.  Johns,  Surgeon. 

Darius  Johnson,  1st  Ass't  Surgeon. 

Wm.  H.  Walters,  2ud  Ass't  Surgeon. 

Thomas  Cotton,  Chaplain. 

John  McWilliams,  Quarter  Master. 

Phil.  D.  Platteuburg,  Adjutant. 

C  OMMISSIONED  OFFICERS. 

Samuel  T.  Walkley,  Captain. 
George  W.  Gilchrist,  1st  Lieutenant. 
Elihu  Chilcott,  2nd  Lieutenant, 

NON-COMMISSIONED. — SERGEANTS. 

Homer  A.  Kenyon,  1,  assigned  to  duty 
in  Inspector  General's  Department  8rd 
Div.  2nd  Corp.— Keturned. 

William  E.  Swift,  2nd,  discharged, 
Jan.  1,  1863. 

Northrup  Riggs,3rd,  promoted  to  2nd 
Sergeant  —  Returned. 

Leander  B.  Morgan,  4th,  discharged 
Jan.  29,  1863. 

Francis  M.  Angle,  5th,  killed  March 
19,  1864.  at  Averysboro,  N.  C. 

CORPORALS. 

Peter  Garten,  1st.   Returned. 
William  R.  Snyder,   2nd      Returned. 


W.  H.  Kettham, 


Jacob  Christman, 


E.  H,  Kneeland. 


Roger  H.  Mills. 


HISTORY  OF  DWiGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


25 


Daniel  W.  Gallup,  3rd.    Returned. 

August  Jiecker,4th.     Returned. 

John  N.  Staley,  5th.  Wounded  in 
right  breast  July  20,  1804,  before  At- 
lanta. 

Samuel  Persels,  Oth.  Discharged 
March  2,  18(33. 

■John  O.  Collister,  7th.  Died  at  Foun- 
tain Head,  Tenn.,  Jan.  8,  18<)3. 

Charles  G.  Atwood,  8th.  Died  at 
Gallatin.  Feb.  0,1863. 

MUSICIANS. 

AVilliam  A.  Randall,  Fifer.  Dis- 
charged April  26,  1863. 

Charles  M.  Rawlings,  Drummer.  Cap- 
tured in  N.  (\,  and  was  afterwards  ex- 
changed as  a  prisoner  of  war. 

NON-CO:\[MISSIO]SrED. 

(List  at  the  close  of  the  War.) 

SERGEANTS. 

Homer  A.  Kenyon,  1st. — Returned. 
Xorthrup  Riggs,  2d.— Returned. 
Francis  M.  Angle,  3d.— Killed. 
Peter  Garten,  4th.— Returned. 
Wm.  R.  Snyder,  5th. — Returned. 

CORPORALS. 

Daniel  W.  Gallup,  1st.— Returned. 

Samuel  McGooden,  2d. — Returned. 

Henry  Yanderburg,  3d  —Shot  in  the 
leg,  which  was  amputated. — Died  at 
Yining  station,  Ga.,  July  20.  1864. 

August  Becker,  4th — Mounted  Scout. 
— Returned. 

John  iST.  Staley,  5th. —Mounted  Scout. 
— Returned. 

Chas.  A.  Gwin,  6th.— Wounded  at 
Resaca,  Georgia. 

Joseph  D.  McDonald,  7th.— Returned. 

James  Wilgus,  8th. — Returned. 

MUSICIANS. 

Charles  M.  Rawlings. — Drummer. — 
Returned. 

PRIVATES. 

Austin,  Rufus  H.  Mounted  scout. 
Returned. 


Bintenburger,     Ludwig.       Deserted 
Oct.  6,  1862. 
Borin.  William  H.  Discharged  ISIarch 

13. 1863. 
Broadbent,  Joshua  A.      Discharged 

Feb.  16,  1S63. 

Bochtler,  Joseph.    Wounded.  Ret. 

Beach,  John  F.  Deserted  from  Nash- 
ville, Tenn. 

Butler,  Charles  S.    Mounted  Scout. 

Wounded  in  right  knee  in  front  of  At- 
lanta.  Returned. 

Barry,  Martin.     Returned. 

Broughton,  James.  Died  at  jSIitch- 
ellsville,  Tenn.,  Dec.  8. 

Bennett,  Edward  C.    Returned. 

Borer,  Fidel.  Mounted  Scout.  Re- 
turned. 

Bradbury,  Wm.  H.    Chief  Clerk  in 

Gen.  Judah's  Headquarters,  Dec.  3, 
1862.    Returned. 

Brandenburger,  Rudolph.  Lost  left 
arm  July  20,  1864,  in  front  of  Atlanta. 
Returned. 

Caldwell,  William  I.  Discharged 
March  16,  1863. 

Currier,  Lewis.    Returned. 

Cann,  John.  Mounted  Scout.  Lost 
right  arm  July  20,  1864,  in  front  of  At- 
lanta   Returned. 

Charles,  William.    Discharged  March 

11,1863. 
Dick,  Anton.    Discharged  March  19, 

'63. 

Fuller,  Richard.  Hospital  cook.  Dis- 
charged from  General  Hospital. 

Flaherty,  Thomas.  Mounted  Scout. 
Returned. 

Flynn,  John.    Returned. 

Fullerton.  John.  Mounted  Scout. 
Wounded.     Returned. 

Fuge,  Patrick.  Severely  wounded  in 
the  thigh.  March  19, 1864,  at  Averysboro, 
N.  C.    Returned. 

Griswold,  David  M.  Discharged  April 
26,  1863. 

Gwin,  Charles  A.  Promoted  to  6th 
Corporal.    Returned. 


26 


HISTORY  OF  DAVIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


Gray,  Samuel  S.  S.  Died  at  Bowling 
Green,  Ky.,  Nov.  30,  1863. 

Hoffman,  William.  Killed  .Tune  15, 
1864. 

Hand,  Ira  W.  Mounted  Scout. 
Wounded  in  right  thigh  at  the  battle  of 
Kenesaw  Mountain       Returned. 

Huntley,  Asil.    Returned. 

Hall,  Benjamin  W.  Discharged  on 
account  of  sickness. 

.Judd,  Curtis  J.  Promoted  to  Ser- 
geant-Major.    Returned. 

Ketchum,  John  L.  Moun'ed  Scout 
Wounded  June  15,  1864.  Died  in  Gener- 
al Hospital  at  Chacanooga,  Tenn.,,June 
26, 1864'. 

Koehnlein,  Charles.  Regimental  Car- 
penter.    Returned. 

Lore,  Robert  C.  Mounted  Scout.  Re- 
turned. 

Lower,  Eli  L.    Returned. 

Legnor,  .John.  Discharged  May  9, 
1863. 

Lewis,  Henry  A.  Wounded  in  right 
leg  July  20,  1864,  before  Atlanta.  Died. 

McVVilliams,  John.  Discharged  and 
appointed  Quartermaster. 

McFee,  Henry  L.  Appointed  Wagon- 
Master  Feb.  4,  1863.    Discharged. 

McKenney,  Edwin.  Mounted  Scout. 
Discharged. 

McGooden,  Samuel.  Promoted  2nd 
Corporal.    Returned 

McDonald,  Joseph  D.  Promoted  7th 
Corporal.     Returned. 

McCartney,  William.     Returned. 

Mihm,  Albert.  Wounded  in  head. 
Died. 

Miller,  (,;onrad.  Deserted  Oct.  6, 
1863. 

Morrison,    David.     Mounted    Scout. 

Returned. 

Neiison,  Peter  I.    Returned. 

Pfefferman,  Stormens.    Returned. 

Pratt,  James  R.  Mounted  Scout. 
Discharged. 

Pratt,  William  H.  Discharged  June 
2,  1863. 


Rawlings,  Thomas  E.  Transferred 
to  Telegraph  Corps.    Returned. 

Reinmiller,  Carl.    Returned. 

Randall,  Jerry.  Wounded  on  June 
22, 1864,  and  subsequently  died. 

Rogers,  John  H.  Discharged  March 
13, 1863     Returned. 

Reed,  George  W.  Mounted  Scout. 
Captured,  and  exchanged  as  prisoner  of 
war.     Returned. 

Randall,  George  W.  Died  at  Galla- 
tin, Tenn.,  Feb.  21,  1863. 

Sullivan,  John.  Deserted  Sept.  25, 
'62. 

Stevens,  Eugene  R.  Discharged  from 
Gallatin,  Tenn. 

Schneider,  Ludwig.  Discharged, 
March  2, 1863. 

Saddler,  Nicholas.    Returned. 

Shepherd,  .James.  Discharged  March 
13,  1863. 

Schumm,  John  G.  Mounted  Scout. 
Returned. 

Smith,  Manning.    Returned. 

Shrimpton,  Eber.  Wounded  on 
March  19, 1864.  at  Averysboro,  N.  C. 
Returned. 

Stahl,  August.  Mounted  Scout. 
Killed  June  15,  1864. 

Sanford,  Israel  J.  Colonel's  orderly 
Sept.  8,  1862,  and  subsequently  dis- 
charged. 

Vandenburgh,  Henry.    Promoted  3rd 

Corporal.    Died. 

Wvkes,  Charles.  Mounted  Scout 
Died  in  hospital  at  Nashville,  Tenn. 

West,  AVareham  E.    Returned. 

Wilgus,  James.  Promoted  8th  Cor- 
poral.  Returned. 

Many  of  the  above  named  soldiers 
have  since  died,  moved  away  and  quite 
a  number  prominent  residents  of 
Dwight  and  vicinity. 

The  history  of  this  company  during 
the  war  is  full  of  interest,  and  if  our 
space  would  permit  we  would  willingly 
give  a  detailed  account  of  their  wan- 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


27 


derings;  but,  as  in  many  other  instances, 
being  compelled  to  condense  our  in- 
formation, we  shall  only  give  a  brief 
resume  of  their  adventures. 

xifter  being  mustered  in  at  Pontiac, 
111.,  on  September  8,  1862,  they  proceed- 
ed by  rail  to  Jefferson ville,  Ind.,  and 
then  crossed  the  Ohio  River  to  Louis- 
ville, Ky.  From  there  they  marched  to 
Shelby  ville,  Ky.,  still  marching  toward 
Frankfort,  Ky.,  which  was  reached  on 
October  8th. 

On  October  llfeh  the  march  was  again 
continued,  and  on  the  13th  the  small 
town  of  Rou^h-and-Ready  was  reached. 
October  17th  they  camped  at  Danville 
after  a  march  of  twenty  miles.  The 
next  point  was  Harrisburg;  from  thence 
to  Crab  Orchard,  back  to  Danville, 
thence  to  Harrodsburgh,  back  again  to 
Danville,  on  to  Perrysville,  and  at  last, 
after  a  weary  march  tliey'  reached  Le- 
banon. A  few  days  at  this  point,  when 
they  were  ordered  to  Bowling  Green, 
and  then  marched  on  to  Mitchellsville, 
Tenn.,  where  they  remained  some 
time. 

The  occupation  of  the  soldiers  until 
February  2,  18(53,  was  guard  and  camp 
duty,  foraging,  skirmishing,  etc. 

On  February  2  they  camped  at  South 
Tunnel,  two  miles  north  of  Gallatin, 
Tenn.  The  next  move  was  to  Richland, 
from  whence  the  whole  regiment 
marched  to  Fort  Thomas,  which  was 
reached  on  .June  22.  Nothing  of  inter- 
est occurred  until  A-Ugust  21,  when 
they  marched  to  Nashville,  where  they 
remained,  with  occasional  changes  un- 
til February  24,  180-1,  when  at  8  o'clock 
in  the  morning  they,  in  company  with 
several  other  regiments,  marched  to 
Lavergne,  a  station  on  the  Nashville  & 
rUiatanooga  railroad. 

From  thence  they  marched  to  Mur- 
feesboro.  Tenn.  February  20  they  left 
Murfreesboro  and   marched  to  Shelby- 


ville,  thence  to  Tallahoma,  on  to  Or- 
chard station,  then  Andrew  station, 
passed  through  Stevenson,  still  on  the 
maich  to  Bridgport,  thence  to  Belle- 
ville, thence  to  Whiteside  station  and 
finally  reached  the  Lookout  Valley  on 
March  10,  after  passing  ihrough  im- 
mense hollows  and  passes. 

On  May  2  they  received  marching  or- 
ders again,  and  at  once  proceeded  to 
the  front. 

On  May   15  fighting   began  in  real 
earnest  in  the  neighborhood   of  Buz- 
zard Roost,  and  the  men  began  to  face   • 
and  to  feel  the  stern  realities  of  war. 

At  Resaca  they  won  their  first  laurels 
by  nobly  advancing  on  one  of  the  ene- 
my's forts  under  a  murderous  fire. 
Urged  on  by  their  general,  the  line 
broken,  they  threw  themselves  on  the 
enemy,  and  in  a  few  moments  dislodged 
him. 

The  victory  was  grand,  not,  however 
without  great  loss.  The  regimental 
flag  was  riddled  by  seventy-five  bullets, 
and  the  bearer  was  shot  in  the  hand, 
and  afterwards  killed.  The  next  fight 
occured  on  May  19  ai  Cassville,  where, 
after  a  brief  struggle  a  victory  was  ob- 
tained. 

On  May  25  the  terrible  battle  at  Dal- 
las or  Burnt  Hickory  commenced.  It 
was  not,  however,  until  the  29th  that 
the  engagement  became  general.  The 
enemy  were  defeated 

On  the  2d  of  June  marching  was  re- 
commenced, and  on  the  13th  Big  Shaaty 
station  was  captured.  From  this  time 
fighting  was  the  order  of  the  day,  the 
enemy  being  gradually  driven  back. 

On  July  20  another  bloody  battle  was 
fought  and  victory  gained  at  Peach 
Tree  Creek. 

During  the  latter  part  of  June  the 
12S)th  was  at  or  near  Kenesaw  moun- 
tain, and  while  there  the  skirmish  lines 
were  so  close  together  they  had  to   be 


28 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


changed  after  dark  and  then  at  great 
danger.  The  cannonading  during  the 
nights  at  Kenesaw  was  a  very  fine 
sight. 

July  3  near  Marietta  the  brigade  was 
corraled  in  a  peach  orchard  and  a  rebel 
battery  opened  on  them  and  the  boys 
all  had  a  close  call,  and  never  will  for- 
get the  occasion. 

On  July  22  the  regiment  arrived  with- 
in 11^  miles  of  Atlanta.  The  bombard- 
ment of  this  city  was  now  commenced. 
After  a  good  deal  of  hard  fighting  tiie 
enemy  evacuated  the  city,  and  on  Sep- 
tember 1,  1864,  the  Union  troops  took 
possession  of  it. 

On  September  16  marching  was  again 
resumed,  and  early  in  the  morning 
they  reached  their  former  intrench- 
ments  before  Atlanta,  where  they  en- 
camped. 

On  October  1  they  marched  to  the 
Chatahoochee  River,  where  tents  were 
pitched,  log  houses  built  and  breast- 
works formed. 

On  October  27  a  mock  election  was 
held,  when  Lincoln  received  a  large 
majority,  the  number  being 386 for  Lin- 
coln, 31  for  McCtellan  and  1  for  Joe. 
Hooker. 

On  November  13  marching  was  again 
resumed,  and  after  a  long,  tedious  and 
wearisome  march,  they  arrived  in  front 
of  Savannah. 

On  December  21,  after  some  hard 
lighting,  this  city  was  taken  amid  great 
r^oicing. 

On  January  2*.)  the  march  through 
South  Carolina  was  commenced. 

On  February  ti  Columbia,  the  capital 
of  Georgia,  was  reached,  and  taken  on 
the  following  day. 

On  the  18tii  the  march  was  again  re- 
sumed, and  after  passing  over  a  long 
stretch  of  country,  tlie  enemy  was  met , 
at  Ayerysboro,  where  some  lighting  and 
wiuniug  was  done  as  usual. 


The  march  was  continued  to  Golds- 
boro,  near  which  place  they  were  allowed 
to  remain  and  rest,  altera  mostditlicult 
and  ardous  march  of  live  hundred 
miles. 

April  11th  found  them  once  more  on 
the  march,  and  at  Smithfield  heard  the 
news  of  Lee's  surrender  at  the  Appoma- 
tox  Court  House. 

April  17,  the  rumor,  afterwards  con- 
firmed, of  President  Lincoln's  assassi- 
nation, M'as  current.  The  first  news 
caused  indescribable  joy,  the*second, 
indescribable  sorrow. 

April  28,  orders  were  alven  to  pre- 
pare to  go  North,  and  on  the  30th, 
marching  was  accordingly  commenced. 

On  May  24,  afier  a  rapid  and  some- 
what tiresome  march,  Washington  was 
reached,  and  the  men  began  to  feel 
themselves  g^t  home  once  more. 

On  June  7th,  after  a  service  of  two 
years  and  nine  months,  all  but  a  day, 
they  were  duly  mustered  out  of  the 
Ignited  States  service  by  Captain 
Beecher,  Mustering  Officer  of  the  Divi- 
sion. 

June  11th,  Chicago  was  reached.  Here 
they  were  paid  off  after  a  little  waiting, 
and  taking  the  friendly  cars,  at  last 
gave  up  the  tedious,  toilsome  marcli- 
iugs,  and  soon  arrived  at  home. 

Not  all  who  went  forth  returned 
again ;  some  alas !  were  laid  low  and  this 
world  knew  them  no  more;  others  in 
hospital  mourned  the  loss  of  limb  or 
health. 

Hut  as  long  as  the  great  Republic 
lives;  as  long  as  Illinois  maintains  her 
loyal  love  of  Union:  so  long  will  the 
glorious  129th,  be  remembered,  and 
tlieir  deeds  enshrined  on  historic  mem- 
ory. 

We  have  thus  placed  upon  historical 
records  not  only  the  names  of  Companv 
IJ,  but  also    a    brief   sketch  of  their 


IIISTOllY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLIXOIS. 


29 


marches,  deeds  and  sufferings  whilst 
they  were  absent  from  home. 

Such  a  chronicle,  however  brief,  Is 
replete  with  interest,  and  we  doubt  not 
will  touch  a  tender  chord  in  many  a 
heart,  kindle  feelings  and  awaken 
memories  that  have  lain  dormant  for 
years. 

While  their  soldier  brethren  were 
thus  away  lighting  the  battles  of  our 
country,  the  enthusiasm  at  home  was 
almost  indescribable.  The  citizens  as 
a  rule  felt  themselves  called  upon  to  do 
something,  and  if  they  could  not  go  to 
the  war  in  person,  they  could  at  least 
help  those  who  had  thus  devotedly  sac- 
rificed comfort,  friends  and  life  in  the 
cause  of  their  common  country.  The 
feeling  developed  itself  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  societies  of  different  kinds.  In 
18f)3  we  tiud  a  number  of  men  gathered 
together  in  this  town  under  the  name 
of  "The  Union  League."  It  was  a  po- 
litical organization,  having  political 
objects  in  view,  yet  at  the  same  time, 
dispensing  charity  according  to  its 
means.  In  this  neighborhood  it  num- 
bered over  200  members,  and  over  1000 
in  the  county.  There  can  be  no  dcubt 
that  the  influence  this  society  exerted 
over  the  people  was  immense.  They 
helped  to  carry  the  elections;  they 
worked  ably  in  behalf  of  Kepublican- 
isra,  and  indeed  acted  as  a  sort  of  Home 
(iuard  while  their  brethren  fought  on 
the  distant  battle  field. 

Mr.  S.  T.  K.  Prime  was  the  president 
and  we  expect  in  the  next  chapter  to 
pul)lish  a  short  review  of  those  trouble- 
soine  times  at  home  from  Mr.  Prime 
himself. 

In  the  same  year  we  find  another  so- 
ciety organized  here,  of  a  dilTerent 
character.  It  was  composed  of  ladies 
and  was  called  "The  Ladies  Loyal 
League."  It  was  established  on  June 
5,  ISUo,  in  II.  Eldredge's  house  over  his 


store.  The  parties  who  organized  this 
effective  bind  of  laborers  were  S.  T.  K. 
Prime,  S.  Cutler  and  J.  G.  Strong.  The 
object  of  the  society  was  to  raise  funds 
for  hospital  and  sanitary  purposes.  The 
ladies  met  once  in  every  two  weeks  for 
the  space  of  two  years,  and  during  that 
time  accomplished  a  large  amount  of 
good. 

TlTeir  first  purchase  was  that  of  a 
cow,  which  was  sent  to  the  hospital  at 
Springfield  for  the  benefit  of  the  wound- 
ed soldiers  there. 

The  next  step  was  to  make  weekly 
consigments  of  butter  and  vegetables 
to  the  same  hospital. 

In  the  course  of  their  labors  this  so- 
ciety raised  over  $700.  Many  means 
were  resorted  to;  tableaux  were  per- 
formed, oyster  suppers  were  given,  and 
each  attempt  to  raise  money  was  cheer- 
fully responded  to  by  the  enthusiastic 
citizens. 

At  no  period  of  our  history  as  a  town 
have  we  enjoyed  so  much  harmony  and 
prosperity  as  during  the  period  of  which 
we  are  writing. 

The  people  seemed  to  be  of  one  mind; 
popular  thought  and  feeling  ran  in  one 
direction  and  our  town,  always  loyal, 
was,  at  this  exciting  and  crucial  period, 
devoted  to  the  best  interests  of  our 
country. 

We  find  the  following  named  men 
were  in  other  companies  than  "E"  in 
the  129th  111.  Ilegt.: 

Earl  II.  Kenyon,  Co.  A.  129th. 

Benjamin  Thompson. 

The  129th  was  brigaded  with  the  102d 
and  105th  111.  Inft.  and  the  70th  Indiana 
and  79th  Ohio.  The  brigade  was  com- 
manded by  General  "Pap"  Ward,  of 
Kentucky,  who  after  was  promoted, 
by  General  Harrison,  afterwards  presi- 
dent of  the  United  States.  The  Colonel 
of  the  102d  was  Colonel  Smith,  of  the 
129th,  Col.  Case,  105th,  General  Daniel 


30 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


Dustin,  of  Sycamore,  111.,  70th  Indiana, 
(■olonel  Beu],  Harrison,  79th  Ohio  by 
Col.  Doan. 

Many  other  brave  soldiers  went  from 
this  community,  but  we  are  unable  to 
obtain  their  names. 

AVe  are  indebted  to  Colonel  J.  B.  Par 
sons  for  the  following  list  of  soldiers 
from  these  parts  who  died  through 
wounds,  disease  and  other  causes 'dur- 
ing the  war  and  from  disease  since  the 
war.  We  also  give  company  and  regi- 
ment, where  and  when  they  died,  and 
where  buried,as  far  as  possible. 

ROLL   OF  HONOR. 

S.  H.  Kyle,  Co.  C,  Eegt.  129th  111.  Inf t., 
died  at  Bowling  Green,  Dec.  1, 1862  and 
buried  in  McDowell  Cemetery 

H.  A.  Collister,  I,  20th,  Atlanta,  July 
22,  '64,  Atlanta. 

B.  J.  Wait.  D.  27th,  Post  Helina,  Aug. 
20,  '63,  Post  Helma. 

James  Weldon,  H,  55th,  Shiloh,  April 
20,  '62,  Viana,  111. 

J.  L.  Ketcham,  B,  129th  111.,  Chata- 
noogo,  June  25,  '64,  Chatanooga. 

E.  B.  Bartholic,  I,  20th  111.,  Ft.  Don- 
elson,  Feb.  15,  '62,  Ft.  Donelson. 

F.  M.  Angle,  B,  129th  111.,  Taylors 
Creek,  March  16,  '65  Taylors  Creek, 

Chanes  Spencer,  C,  129th  111.,  Bowl- 
ing Green,  March  25,  '62,  Bowling 
Green. 

J,  W.  Kyler,  D,  39th  111.,  Dwight,  111., 
Oct  24,  '61,  McDowell  Cemety. 

Erastuss  Stevens,  D,  127th  111., 
Vicksburg,  May  52,  '63,  Vicksburg. 

Samuel  Saltmarsh,  G,  3()th  111.,  Ken- 
esaw  Mountain,  June  19,  '<)4,  Kenesaw 
Mountain. 

Samuel  Adams,  D,  127th  111.,  Padu- 
6ah,  Dec.  1,  '63.Paaucah. 

Enos  Morris,  C,  129ih  111.,  Peach 
Tree  Creek,  July  20,  '64,   Preach  Tree 

^Creek . 

F.  L.  Kimberk,  I,  55th  111.,  Atlanta, 
July  22,  "64,  Atlanta, 


Henry  Houston,  A,  129th  111.,  Galla- 
tin, Feb.  14,  '63,  Gallatin,  Tenn. 

Thomas  Hughes,  J,  5oth  111.,  Shiloh, 
April  6,  '62,  Shiloh. 

August  Stahl,  B,  129th  111.,  liesaca, 
June  20,  '64,  Resaca. 

J.  P.  Gantzert,  F,  55th  111.,  Shiloh, 
April  6,  '62,  Shiloh. 

Israel  Parker,  1>,  127th  111.,  Kenesaw 
Mountain,  June  27, '()4,  Kenesaw  Moun- 
tain. 

C.  H.  Chandler,  G  36th  111.,  Perry- 
ville,  Oct.  14,  '62,  Perryville. 

Merwin  McLane.  D,  39th  111.,  Folly 
Island,  July  3,  '63,  Folly  Island. 

C.  E.  Atvvood,  B,  129th  111.,  Gallatin, 

Feb.  6,  '63. 
J.  F.  Bennett,  D,  127th  111.,  Atlanta, 

July  28,  '62,  Atlanta. 

G.  W.  Randall,  B,  129th  111.,  Gallatin, 
Feb.  21, '63,  Gallatin. 

G.  A.  Sarvis,  C,  129th  111.,  Peach  Tree 
Creek,  July  20, '64,  Peach  Tree  Creek. 

D.  D.Ellis,  D,  39th  111.,  Deep  Run, 
Aug.  16,  '64,  Deep  Run, 

R.  C.  Parker,  D,  127th  111.,  Yiana, 
Nov.  8,  '63,  Viana,  111. 

John  Paxtou,  D,  127th  111.,  Gardner, 
Dec,  29,  '62,  Gardner,  111. 

James  McGinnis,  D,  127th  111..  Dallas. 
May  30,  '64,  Dallas. 

William  Clark,  K,  14th  111.  Cav.,  An- 

dersonville,  August  9,  '<>4,   Anderson- 
ville. 
Edward  Slattery,  1,  55th  Hi.,  Shiloh, 

Avril  7,  '^62,  Morris. 

Patrick  O'Neill,  IT.  55th   111.,   Shiloh, 

April  ('),'  62  Shiloh. 

E.  I.  Train,  D,  129th  111.,  Chicago, 
Oct.  31,  '62,  Chicago. 

Amos  Parker,  D,  127th  111.,  Mulligan 
Bend,  Nov.  14,  '63,  Mulligan's  Bend. 

F.  II,  Chappel,  D,  127th  Goldsbnry — 
Goldsbury. 

William  Peterson,  D,  137th,  111.,  Al- 
tona,  July  28,  '64,  Altona. 

Edwin  McKinney.  B,  129th  111,  Bowl- 
ing Green,  Sept.  2,  '62,  Bowling  Green. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLI:N0IS. 


31 


S.  S.  Gray,  B,  189th  111.,  Bowling 
Green,  Sept.  2,  'G:^,  Bowling  Green. 

Jerry  Randall,  B.  129th  111.,  Nashville, 
July  3,  '(54,  Nashville. 

J.  11.  Corn  well,  G,  129th  111.,  Gallitin, 
Feb.  25,  '03,  Gallatin. 

Charles  Wykes,  B,  129th  III,  Nash- 
ville, Feb.  15,  '64,  Nashville. 

Frederick  Rockwell^  I,  20th  111.,  Ft. 
Donelsou,Feb.  1(5,  '(32,  Ft.  Donelson. 

L.  Y.  Flagler,  I,  20th  111.,  Cairo,  Oct. 
22-  '61,  Birds  Point,  Mo. 

E.  H.  Kenyon,  A,  129th  111.,  Foun- 
tain Mead,  Jan.  6,  '(33,  Fountain   Head. 

Henry  Yanderburg,  B,  129th  111., 
Yining  Station,  July  29,  '64,  Yining  Sta- 
tion. 

J  O.  Collister,  B,  129th  111.,  Fountain 
Head,  Jan.  8,  '63,  Fountain  Head. 

I.  G.  Mott,  K,  129th  111.,  South  Tun- 
)ie],  April  12,  '(53,  South  Tunnel. 

William  Hoffman,  B,  129th  111.,  Ala- 
toona,  June  15,  '64,  Alatoona, 

James  Broughton,  B,  129th  Ill.,Mitch- 
ellsville,  Dec.  8,  '63,  Mitchellsville. 

G.  W.  Randall,  B,  129th  111.,  Gallatin, 
Feb.  21,  '63,  Gallatin. 

Henry  Shafer,  I,  20th  111.,  Big  Black, 
Jan.  1,(54,  Big  Black,  Miss. 

Aaron  ^^an  Pelt,  D,  127th  111.,  Padu- 
cah,  Dec.  1,  '(53.  Paducah. 

John  Kennedy,  H,  55th  III.,  Shiloh, 
April  5,  '(32.  Shiloh. 

J.  E.  Still,  D,  127th  111.,  Yicksburg, 
May  25,  '(33,  ^^icksburg. 

Charles  Howland,  D.  127th  111.,  Green- 
lield,  Oct.  29,  '(33,  Greenlield. 

Harrison  Miller,  J,  20th  111.,  Ray- 
mond, May  12,  '(33,  Raymond,  Miss. 

•Silas    Bunker,    ,    Shiloh, 

April  (5, '(52,  Shiloh. 

Felix  Koehnlien. 

(r.  T.  Sillett,  D,  127th  111., 

Henry  Parker.  D,  127th  111., 

Sept.  22,  '03. 

Geo.  Pearce,..,  104th  111.,  Kenesaw 
Mountain,  June  27,  '(34,  Kenesaw  Moun- 


tain. 

Kobt.  Parker. 

T.  J.  Atwater,  I.  20th  111.  ? 

Gary  Peterson. 

W.  D.  Lindsey,  D,  127th  111., 

May  9, '73, 

Leander  Ellis,  I,  36th  111.,  Stone 
River, Stone  Riyer. 

Patrick  Welch. 

Joseph  Shelly. 

H.  H.  At  wood. 

S.  W.  Kenney. 

Robert  Mease. 

Ralph  Miller. 

George  Brown,  D,  127th,  Jackson- 
ville,  Jacksonville,  111. 

George  Johnson. 

B.  W.  Hall,  B,  129th  111,? 
Bruce  Welsh. 

Elijah  Parker,  I,  46th  111.,  Dwight, 
111.,  Feb.  14,  1879,  Conant  Cemetery. 

Absalom  Thomas  ? 

Stanley  Small,  D,  127th  111.,  Dakota, 
Dakota, 

Franklin  Small,  G,  3(5th  111.? 

A,  S.  Green,  B,  4th  111.  Cav.,  Mem- 
phis,   Tenn., 1863,    Memphis, 

Tenn. 

I.  H.  Stevens. 

Geo.  Austin,  D,  127th  111., 

Jan.  31,  '63 

G.  R.  Goodspeed,  D,  127th  111., 

Jan.  14,  '(33 

II.  P,  Brayton,  D,  127th  111,, 

Jan,   8,  '63 

Ashburv  Preston,  D,  127th  111,, 

.Jan.  28,  '63 

E.  H.  Greene,  D,  91st  111.,  Browns- 
ville, Texas,  June  17,  '64,  Brownsville, 
Texas. 

C.  S.  Ingraham,  D,  52d  111.,  Spring- 
field, March  2,  '65,  McDowell's  Ceme- 
tery. 

G.  O.  Cutler,  D,  39th  111., 

Sept,  11, '(33 

J,  W,  Phinney,  D,  127th  111 

Aug.  1.3, '63 


32 


HISTORY  OF  DTTIGIIT,  ILLI^'OIS, 


Cushman  Small,. .,  Sfith  111.,  Atlanta, 
Jan.  ..,  18»U,  Mazoc,  111. 

Isaac  Carson,  G,  3(>tli  111.,  Danville, 
Ya.,  Feb.  16,  '62,  Viana,  111. 

11.  E.  Atwood,  D,  127th  111.,  Yiana. 
discharged  Jan,  20  '63  for  disability. 

Joseph  Avilmott,  I,55thlll.,  Paducah, 
Ky.,  April  15,  '62,  Paducah,  Ky. 

William  Kirtan,  11,  17th  111.  Cav., 
Glasgow,  Mo.,  Aug,  17,  '64,  Glasgow, 
Mo. 

M.  D.  Scott,  F,  138th  111.,  Dwight, 
March  6,  '67,  McDowell  Cemetery, 

Orson  Spencer,  C,  129th  111.,  Nevada, 
Aug.  14,  '66,  McDowell  Cemetery. 

Anton  Dick,  B,  129th  111.,  Dwight, 
Conant  Cemetery,  Dwight. 

E,  H.  Banks,  G,  69th  111.,  Davis  Is-' 
land,  June  28,  '62,  Newburg,  N.  Y. 

Isaac  Wheatley,  D,  105th  111.,  Dwight, 
Oct.  2,  86,  Union,  111. 

Abraham  Fox,  I,  47th  111.,  Round 
Grove,  July  6,  '83,  Round  Grove. 

W.  T.  Cumberland,  4th  Independent 
Ohio  Cav.,  Girard  Kansas,  Dec.  25,  '78, 
Oak  Lawn  Cemetery. 

J.  S.  Harrison,  C,  44th  111,,  Dwight. 
March  31,  '76,  Oak  Lawn  Cemetery. 

Chas.  Koehnlein,  B,  129th  111,,  Dwight, 
June  2,  '84,  Oak  Lawn  Cemetery. 

N.  W.  Davis,  I,  20th  111.,  Vicksburg, 
Miss.,  July  7,  '80,  Vicksburg,  Miss, 

S.  H.  Kenney,  4th  U.  S.  Regulars, 
Chicago,  Sept.  19,  '87,  Oak  Lawn  Ceme- 
tery. 

Hiram  Miller,  II,  32d  111.,  Dwight, 
April  57,  '88,  Oak  Lawu   Cemetery. 

Martin  Kennedy,  B,  12th  N.  Y., 
Dwight,  May  14,  '88,  Dwight  Catholic 
cemetery. 

J.  C.  Schneider,  A,  S(>th  X.  Y.,  Neva- 
da, 111.,  Feb.  3,  '90,  Oak  Lawn. 

Xiles  Christensen.  ll,  89th  111., 
Dwight' Conant.  V 

W.  II.  Gillispie,  K,  34th  111,,  Good- 
i'arm,     Oak  Lawn. 


Christopher  Yates,  H,  127th  III.,  1892, 
Oak  Lawn, 

After  the  war  tliere  were  many  old 
soldiers  who  had  served  in  regiments 
from  other  states,  and  from  Illinois,  lo- 
cated in  Dwight,  and  were  among  our 
best  business  men.  While  this  history 
is  dealing  with  old  soldiers  and  the  pa- 
triotism of  the  community  a  short 
sketch  of  the  Dwight  Post  No.  62(>, 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  Woman's 
Relief  Corps  and  Sons  of  Veterans  may 
be  of  interest. 

The  old  veterans  of  this  community 
had  been  debating  the  proposition  tO' 
organize  for  some  years,  but  it  was  not 
until  the  17th  day  of  May,  1887,  that  the 
organization  was  completed  For  the 
information  of  all  we  will  publish  the 
proceedings  of  the  first  meeting  in  full, 
which  gives  the  names  of  all  members, 
the  lirst  officers,  etc.,  as  follows: 

Headquarters  Post  No.  626,  G.  A.   R. 
Dwight,  111.,  May  17, 1887. 

Due  application  having  been  made 
and  permission  having  been  granted 
for  the  organization  of  a  Post  of  G.  A. 
R.  at  this  place  and  a  meeting  having 
been  called  for  that  purpose. 

Said  meeting  was  held  at  I.  O.  O.  F. 
Hall  in  Dwight  on  Tuesday  evening. 
May  17,  1887. 

The  following  named  t>ersons  an- 
swered to  roll  call; 

Spencer  Eldredge,  ,Jolin  F.  Scbnmm, 
Eugene  R.  Stevens,  George  W.  Kyler, 
Christopher  Yates,  Josejih  ]\IcBaker, 
Lawrence  F.  Abbot,  ,lohn  C.  Lewis, 
John  C.  (ieorge,  Jesse  L.  Slyder,  James 
Williams,  Moses  McLean,  Henry  Fox, 
William  B.  lirown,  Ira  M.Parker,  Mar- 
tin Seabert,  John  Buftham,  James  B. 
Parsons,  Henry  Spellman,  Alfred  O. 
Walso,  Henry  E,  Russell,  Alexander  L. 
Leach,  Martin  AVilks,  Lewis  Seeger, 
Charles  McClary,  Thon^as  (>ommeford., 


James   Brown. 


John    Vicke 


■y- 


.s 


David    Riling, 


Geo.  W.    Boyer. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


33 


William  Constantine,  Charles  F.  Shel- 
don, John  Casey,  Henry  Turnbaugh, 
Frank  W.  Ford,  Jeduthurn  Weller, 
Simeon  T.  Lockhart,  Stormens  Pefter- 
man,  Levi  C.  Webster,  Ezra  Harney, 
AVilliam  II,  Gillispie,  Sypreon  P.  Small, 
William  Browning,  William  McMa- 
hanna,  Aaron  Pricket,  George  W. 
Boyer. 

Who  each  having  paid  their  fee  were 
duly  mustered  in  Post  Xo.  626,  opened 
by  Comrades  S.  A.  Oliver,  Mustering 
Officer  Bartleson  Post  Xo.  6,  Joliet,  as- 
sisted by  John  R.  Lang,  of  Xo.  6,  Bar- 
tleson Post,  and  the  following  officers: 

H.  H.  McDowell,  S.  V.,  Post  No.  105, 
Pontiac. 

John  A.  Hoover,  J.  V.,  Post  Xo.  105, 
Pontiac. 

Alvin  Wait,  Chap.,  Post  No.  105,  Pon- 
tiac. 

John  T.  Wilson,  O.  D.,  Post  No.  105, 
Pontiac. 

Frank  Hebert,  O.  G.,  Post  No,  6,  Jol. 
iet. 

George  Eberhart,  I.  S.,  Post  No.  6, 
Joliet. 

George  A.  P.  Cummings,  Adjt.,  Post 
Xo.  6,  Joliet. 

Thompson  Martin,  Sgt.  M.,  Post  305, 
Gardner. 

A.  F.  Small,  Surg.,  Post  Xo.  305,  Gard- 
ner. 

John  Hull,  Q.  M.,  Post  Xo.  305,  Gard- 
ner. 

Constituted  the  body  of  special  meet- 
ing ot  Dept.  of  111. — for  the  purpose  of 
mustering  Post  Xo,  626. 

After  mustering,  the  election  of  offi- 
cers being  in  order,  the  following  per- 
sons were  elected,  as  Temporary  Chair- 
man, John  C.  George;  Adjutant,  Spen- 
cer Eldredge. 

Nomination  and  election  of  officers 
being  now  in  order,  James  B.  Parsons 
was  nominated  and  elected  Post  Com- 
mander   by  acclamation.      The    Post 


Commander  having  taken  the  chair, 
the  following  officers  were  elected  for 
the  remainder  of  the  year  as  follows: 

Henry  Fox,  S.  V.  C;  Eugene  R. 
Stevens,  J.  Y.  C;  Laurance  F.  Abbott, 
Surg.;  Moses  McLane,  Chap.;  John 
Buftham,  Q.  M.;  John  C.  Lewis,  O.  D.; 
Christopher  Yates,  O.  G.;  all  being 
elected  by  acclamation  and  then  duly 
installed,  when  the  following  officers 
were  duly  appointed- 

Spencer  Eldredge,  Adjt.;  Frank  AV. 
Ford,  Sergt.  M  ;  John  C.  George,  Q.  M. 
S.;  who  were  then  duly  installed. 

Resolution  by  Comrade  Fox  for  the 
appointment  of  a  committee  on  by- 
laws. The  Commander  appointed 
Henry  Fox,  Spencer  Eldredge,  John  C. 
Lewis,  as  such  committee. 

The  Commander,  in  behalf  of  Post 
626,  G.  A.  R.,  tenders  hearty  thanks  to 
visiting  comrades  for  their  presence 
and  kindly  assistance. 

Motion  was  made  and  seconded  that 
this  Post  meet  one  week  from  to-night 
to  complete  organization  and  other  bus- 
iness.   Carried. 

The  Commander  appointed  as  a  com- 
mittee the  following  comrades:  John 
C.  Lewis,  John  C.  George,  Henry  Fox, 
Christopher  Yates  and  Eugene  R. 
Stevens,  on  Memorial  services. 

There  being  no  further  business  Post 
No.  626  was  adjourned. 

Spenceu  Eldkecje,  Adjutant. 

At  the  second  meeting  the  Post  was 
named  Dwight  Post  Xo.  626.  Col.  J.  B. 
Parsons  was  reelected  commander  for 
three  terms,  when  Henry  Fox  was  elect- 
ed. This  was  followed  by  the  election 
of  Comrades  John  Buffham,  ,1.  C.  Lewis, 
Wm.  Brown,  and  at  present  the  metho- 
dist  minister,  a  very  patriotic  gentle- 
man, C.  W.  Ayling,  is  the  commander. 

Comrade  Simon  Call  was  admitted  as 
a  member  May  24,  1887.  Samuel  11. 
Kinney,  June  21,  1887. 


34 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


Thomas  Weldon,  Daniel  J.  (Jraham 
and  Francis  M.  Davis  were  admitted 
July  19,  1887. 

Homer  A.  Kenyon  August  16, 1887. 

Enoch  Allen,  C.  E.  Foesterling,  J.  N. 
Pearson,  Sept.  20, 1887. 

Joseph  L.  Borer,  Jan.  20,  1888. 

Thos.  Huggins,  March  20,  1888. 

The  first  decoration  day  proceeding 
the  Post  took  part  in  was  in  May  1888, 
and  the  occasion  was  a  grand  one. 

The  first  inspection  was  held  July  17^ 
1888,  Captain  Hoover,  of  Pontiac,  was 
the  inspector.  Comrade  Harry  Mc- 
Dowell made  a  speech  and  a  pleasant 
time  enjoyed.  Capt.  Hoover  also  in- 
spected the  Post  in  1889  and  1890. 

Gideon  R.  Petry  was  admitted  Feb. 
19,  1889. 

The  installation  in  Jan.  1890  was 
made  public  and  the  Relief  Corps  and 
Sons  of  Veterans  were  present  and 
were  installed  and  a  supper  served  af- 
terwards. 

G.  A.  Seymour  joined  in  March,  1890. 

The  Post,  W.  R.  C.  and  S.  of  V.  went 
to  Morris  Decoration  Day,  1890,  to  as- 
sist in  dedicating  a  grand.soldiers'  mon- 
ument. 

Wm.  I.  Crittenden  joined  in  Novem- 
ber. 1891. 

Martin  Reinhart  joined  Feb.  16, 1892. 

Geo.  W.  Reed  and  D.  B.  Walker  joined 
in  May,  1892, 

James  C.  Parker  joined  October  18, 
1892. 

Samuel  II.  Howe  joined  in  April, 
1892,  by  transfer. 

Curtis  J.  Judd,  Manning  Smith,  A. 
G.  Huey  and  Northrup  Kiggs  joined  in 
July,  1893. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  above  that  the 
membership  of  the  Post  from  the  first 
has  been  quite  large.  Many  of  the  old 
comrades  have  died,  and  others  moved 
away,  and  many  are  still  with  us.  There 
are  quite  a  number  of  old  soldiers  in 


this  community  who  should  join  the 
Post. 

The  Dwight  Relief  Corps  was  organ- 
ized in  September,  1889,  with  a  good 
membership,  and  they  have  accom- 
plished much  good.  Mrs.  Henry  Fox 
was  president  until  January.  189'4,  when 
Mrs.  S.  H.  Howe  was  elected  and  holds 
the  office  at  the  present  time. 

The  Sons  of  Veterans  was  organized 
July  16, 1889,  in  Grand  Array  hall,  there 
being  sixteen  members,  Jos.  K.  Buff- 
ham  was  elected  the  IJrst  captain,  H.  F. 
Boyer  served  two  terms,  W.  G.  Dustin, 
one,  and  Orville  Brown  is  the  present 
captain.  The  sons  have  always  taken 
part  in  Decoration  I)ay  exercises  and 
have  shown  their  patriotism  in  many 
ways.  Other  sons  in  this  community 
should  join  them. 

THE  MILITIA. 

The  actual  soldiering  of  many  during 
the  war  had  made  many  anxious  to  play 
soldiers  and  in  1876  a  militia  company 
was  formed.  The  main  part  of  the  fol- 
lowing we  take  from  a  recent  history: 

Thevillage  of  Dwight  is  distinguished 
for  the  honor  of  having  been  military 
headquarters  of  the  Tenth  Battalion  of 
Illinois  National  Guards,  Lieut.  Col.  J. 
B.  Parsons,  commanding.  The  battal- 
ion was  organized  August  15,  1876,  com- 
posed of  companies  from  Dwight,  Odell 
Pontiac,  Streator,  Joliet  and  Marseilles. 
The  field  officers  elected  then  were  J. 
B.  Parsons,  of  Dwight,  Lieutenant 
Colonel:  L.  C.  Miles,  of  Streatoi,  Major. 
Staff  appointed:  L.  C.  Mitchell,  of  Jol- 
iet, Surgeon;  Rev.  J.  F.  Culver,  of  Pon- 
tiac, Chaplain;  J.  B.  Fithian,  of  Joliet, 
Adjutant,  and  C.  J.  Judd,  of  Dwight, 
Quartermaster.  The  battalion  re- 
organized and  some  of  the  com- 
panies attached  to  other  commands, 
while  two  new  companies  were 
added  to  the  Tenth,  whose  headquar- 
ters still  remain  at  Dwight.    Under  re- 


TTISTOUY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


35 


organization,  it  was  composed  of  the 
following  companies:  Parsons  Guards 
Co.  E,  (formerly  Dvvight  Guards;)  Pon- 
tiac  Guards,  Co.  A ;  VVenona  Guards, 
Co.  B;  Odell  Guards,  Co.  D;  Fairbury 
Guards,  Co.  C.  The  battalion  officers 
were:  J.  B.  Parsons,  Dwight,  Lieu- 
tenant Colonel,  commanding;  J.  K. 
Howard,  OdeJl,  Major;  H.E.  W.  Barnes, 
Fairbury,  Surgeon;  Kev.  J.  F.  Culver, 
Pontiac,  Chaplain;  C.  J.  Judd,  Dwight, 
Adjutant; Cadet  Taylor,  Wenona,  Quar- 
termaster. The  entire  command,  ex- 
cept the  Wenona  Guards,  was  cf  Liv- 
ingston county.  They  were  armed  with 
the  uniform  breech-loading  Springfield 
rifles,  of  the  Prussian  pattern.  The 
companies  were  well  drilled  and  ready 


to  meet  a  foe  at  a  moment's  warning. 
The  Dwight  Guards,  a  company  of 
the  Tenth  Battalion,  was  organized 
June  20,  1874,  and  its  first  officers  were: 
J.  B.  Parsons,  Captain;  S.  H.  Kenny, 
First  Lieutenant;  S.  M.  Witt,  Second 
Lieutenant.  Upon  the  organization  ot 
the  battalion,  Capt.  Parsons  was  pro- 
moted to  its  command,  and  his  old 
company,  the  Dwight  Guards,  by  a 
company  vote  and  as  a  token  of  es- 
teem for  their  late  Captain,  changed 
the  name  of  the  company  to  "Parsons 
Guards,"  which  name  was  retained. 
Their  officers  afterward  were  as  follows, 
viz.:  S.  H.  Kenny,  Captain;  S.  M.Witt, 
First  Lieutenant;  J,  H.  Lloyd,  Second 
Lieutenant. 


3fi 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


CHAPTER  V. 


!N  TIMES   OF  PEACE. 


As  was  the  case  all  over  the  country, 
times  were  lively  in  Dwight  after  the 
war.  Many  of  the  old  soldiers  came 
back,  and  others  from  different  parts  of 
the  country  came  and  settled  in  the 
pretty  little  prairie  town.  The  busi- 
ness of  the  town  picked  up  greatly  and 
the  town  grew  and  was  prosperous. 
There  was  plenty  of  money  in  the 
country  in  1866— lots  of  greenbacks. 
The  soldiers  had  been  paid  off,  and 
other  debts  of  the  government  paid  in 
greenbacks  and  everyone  had  money. 
The  business  of  the  country  achieved 
a  yeritable  boom  and  business  was  good 
until  1873,  when  there  was  a  relapse, 
but  the  conditions  were  soon  overcome 
by  proper  legislation  of  the  party  in 
power. 

AVhile  we  hear  from  old  residents 
that  there  were  many  newcomers  in 
Dwight  in  1866-7-8,  it  is  impossible  to 
get  all  their  names,  and  indeed  the  in- 
formation we  can  gain  from  histories 
or  the  people,  is  very  vague  regarding 
those  prosperous  times.  The  histories 
we  have  skip  over  this  period  with  no 
particular  notice.  It  was  not  until 
May  5,  1868,  that  the  first  newspaper 
was  issued  in  Dwight  and  from  tlie 
close  of  the  war  until  that  time  we 
shall  have  to  omit  much  of  what  we 
feel  sure  occurred  of  interest  to  all, 
simply  because  we  have  no  data  to  go 


by.  In  the  chapters  that  follow  of 
personal  reminiscences  and  biographies 
will  be  written  much  that  will  cover  the 
omissions  made  in  the  history  proper. 
We  have  in  our  possession,  through  the 
kindness  of  Mr.  D.  McWilliams,  Dr. 
Keeley,  Major  Judd  and  others,  many 
copies  of  newspapers  of  an  early  date, 
and  also  a  very  good  history  of  the  vil- 
lage, from  1872  to  1885,  containing  the 
history  of  local  elections  as  far  as  ob- 
tainable, kindly  furnished  us  by  Hon. 
O.  W.  Pollard,  which  will  appear  in  the 
history  later  on.  From  the  first  num- 
ber of  "The  Star,"  which  was  6x9  inches 
in  size,  we  quote  Charlie  Palmer's  salu- 
tatory, as  follows: 

"It  has  been  rumored  for  some  time 
past  that  Dwight  was  to  have  a  large 
weekly  newspaper,  but  as  the  expected 
Journal  has  failed  to  make  its  appear- 
ance and  rather  than  have  the  communi- 
ty disappointed(  V)  I  have  concluded  and 
do  present  herewith  to  the  people  of 
Dwight  and  vicinity,  the  initial  number 
of  the  new  Weekly  Journal,  which,  with 
all  proper  deference  and  modesty,  but 
with  no  small  amount  of  agreeable  an- 
ticipations, I  have  ventured  to  make  to 
the  people  a  small  weekly  offering  which 
may  be  a  source  of  satisfaction  and  de- 
light in  hours  snatched  from  the  en- 
gagements of  business  and  requirement 
of  public  life.    With  no  intentions  or 


IIISTOKY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLI^JOIS. 


37 


desires  of  creating  undue  expectations 
as  to  the  future  of  this  Journal,  but 
merely  in  justice  to  myself,  would  say, 
that  the  flrst  number  is  not  as  com- 
plete as  1  intended  it  should  be. 

In  conclusion  permit  me  to  say  that 
Dwight  may  never  have  cause  to  be 
ashamed  of  the  first  number  of  "The 
Star." 

Later  in  the  history  we  propose  to 
"tell  the  story,"  of  the  newspaper  busi- 
ness in  Dwight  to  date,  but  in  this  and 
some  chapters  to  follow,  we  shall  make 
numerous  quotations  from  this  lively 
little  paper  which  made  its  lirst  appear- 
ance as  above. 

"We  learn  that  close  after  the  war  an 
effort  in  the  line  of  temperance  was 
taken  in  our  midst,  and  that  Mr.  J.  M. 
Smith,  (of  whom  we  shall  speak  more 
at  length  farther  on)  was  one  of  only 
two  members  of  the  town  board  at  that 
time  and  the  village  was  carried  for 
temperance.  Under  what  kind  of  an 
organization  the  town  was  at  that  time 
we  cannot  learn,  but  it  was  a  fact  so 
we  are  informed. 

The  first  authentic  report  of  munici- 
pal elections  we  take  from  "Fifteen 
Years  of  History"  as  follows: 

The  municipal  election  of  the  spring 
of  1869  resulted  in  the  triumph  of  can- 
didates who  represented  a  constituency 
whose  chief  aim  was  to  prohibit  the 
sale  of  intoxicating  liquors  within  the 
territory  over  which  the  village  had 
jurisdiction.  The  members  of  the 
Board  were  J.  G.  Strong,  president;  W. 
A.  Mott,  J.  M.  Smith,  Simon  Wait.  G. 
Z.  Flager  and  Henry  Eldredge.  The 
other  otllcers  were  L,  G.  Pearre,  clerk; 
A.  Bru baker,  treasurer:  J.  M.  Smith, 
poundmaster;  C.  M.  Libby,  constable 
and  supervisor  of  streets.  This  Board 
represented  a  cause  which  was  then  un- 
popular. It  was,  because  of  this,  ex- 
posed   to    such  unfavorable  criticism 


and  compelled  to  encounter  all  through 
the  year  much  opposition.  While  it 
was  an  office  anything  but  pleasant  to 
its  occupant  it  was  at  that  time  one 
whose  duties  were  such  as  to  require 
much  labor  and  time  in  their  perform- 
ance. They  discussed,"  carefully  con- 
sidered and  passed  no  less  than  twenty - 
six  ordinances,  all  of  which  the  clerk 
was  required  to  record.  These  ordi- 
nances constitute  the  frame-work  and 
contain  the  principal  features  by  those 
which  we  have  since  been  governed.  A 
special  charter  had  been  previously  ob- 
tained, distinguished  as  the  "Princeton 
Charter,"  and  the  attempt  was  made  to 
deal  with  the  liquor  traffic  in  accord- 
ance with  its  provisions.  This  led  to 
the  adoption  of  an  ordinance  en- 
titled "Liquor  Selling,"  which  is  as  fol- 
lows: 

"Section  ].  Be  ic  ordained  by  the 
Town  of  Dwight,  That  any  persons 
who  shall  sell,  barter  or  exchange  ale, 
porter,  beer,  wine,  brandy,  rum,  gin  or 
whisky,  or  any  spiritous,  vinous,  malt, 
fermented,  mixed  or  intoxicating  liq- 
uor, or  any  mixture  part  of  which  is 
any  of  said  liquors  within  the  corporate 
limits  of  said  town,  or  within  one  mile 
thereof,  or  who  shall,  upon  the  sale, 
barter  or  exchange  of  any  goods,  chat- 
tels, wares,  merchandise,  property, 
chose  in  action  or  upon  any  promise, 
contract  or  agreement,  expressed  or 
implied,  deliver  or  furnish  or  cause  to 
be  delivered  or  furnished,  or  knowingly 
suffer  to  be  taken  or  received  any 
brandy,  rum,  gin,  whisky,  ale,  porter, 
beer  or  wine  or  any  other  spiritous, 
vinous,  malt,  fermented,  mixed  or  in- 
toxicating liquor  or  any  mixtures  part 
of  which  is  any  of  said  liquors,  shall  be 
considered  and  adjuged  guilty  of  a 
nuisance,  and  every  such  person  shall, 
upon  conviction  thereof,  forfeit  and 
pay  to  said  town  of  Dwight  the  sum  of 


:« 


IIISTOKY  OF  DW'ICJIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


not  less  than  lifty  dollars  nor  more  than 
one  hundred  dollars  for  each  and  every 
oftense,  and  be  coraraitted  to  the  coun- 
ty jail  of  Livingston  county.  Illinois, 
until  such  , tines  and  costs  be  paid  or 
otherwise  discharged  by  process  of  law. 

"Section  2.  The  giving  away,  Lyany 
person  or  persons  within  the  corporate 
limits  of  said  town  or  within  one  mile 
thereof,  of  any  of  the  aforesaid  liquors 
with  a  view  to  evade  any  of  the  penal- 
ties provided  in  Section  1  of  this  ordi- 
nance, shall  be  deemed  and  adjudged 
likewise  guilty  of  a  nuisance  and  be 
punished  with  a  like  fine  and  imprison- 
ment, in  default  of  payment  as  is  pro- 
vided in  said  Section  1. 

"Section  3.  All  penalties  and  fines 
provided  for  by  this  ordinance  shall  be 
recovered  by  an  action  of  debt  or  by 
warrant  and  before  the  police  magis- 
trate or  justice  of  the  peace  of  said 
town  or  county. 

"Section  4.  This  act  shall  take  effect 
and  be  in  force  from  and  after  its  pas- 
sage and  publication." 

The  ordinance  shows  the  radical  uat- 
ureof  atemperance  reform  then  sought 
to  be  accomplished  by  resort  to  legal 
methods.  Not  only  the  selling,  but  the 
giving  away  of  intoxicants  to  be  used 
as  beverages  was  prohibited  by  the  en- 
actment of  heavy  penalties  for  so  doing. 
We  can  imagine  how  emphatic  were 
the  terms  used  by  those  not  favoring 
such  a  course  in  denouncing  an  attempt 
of  this  kind. 

Another  ordinance  entitled  '*Sale  of 
Li(iuor  for  Special  Purposes"  was  passed 
the  object  of  which  was  tohiake  it  con- 
venient to  get  all  kinds  of  liquor  need- 
ed for  medicinal,  mechanical  and  sac- 
ramental uses.  G.  W.  (iilchrist  was  ap- 
pointed to  see  that  demands  of  this 
nature  were  met. 

The  president  was  authorized  to  se- 
cure the  services  of  an  attorney,  the 


payment  of  whom  should  not, however, 
exceed  two  hundred  dollars.  Twenty- 
live  dollars  were  voted  L.  G.  Pearre  for 
compiling  ordinances,  W.  M.  Bray  ton 
and  S.  M.  Wiit  are  appointed  extra  po- 
lice for  August  12th  and  N.  T.  Gaylord 
and  S.  M.  Witt  for  September  t:Jth. 
Near  the  end  of  the  September  montli 
S.  M.  Witt  succeeds  C.  M.  Libby  as 
constable  and  supervisor  of  streets, 
Joseuh  Gerson  was  granted  a  billiard 
table  license,  C.  L.  Palmer  authorized 
to  publish  thirty  copies  of  ordinances, 
K.  P.  Morgan  Jr.,  W.  H.  Bradbury  and 
J.  A.  Turner  appointed  to  assess  dam- 
ages claimed  by  reason  of  the  building 
of  a  certain  walk,  deeds  for  the  two 
parks  ordered  prepared  for  the  signa- 
ture of  11.  P.  Morgan.  Jr . ,  the  east  park 
rented  to  W.  H.  Ketcham,  he  agreeing 
to  keep  fence  in  good  repair  and  seed 
the  ground.  That  tnere  was  consider- 
able litigation  this  year  is  evidenced  by 
the  fact  that  .1?.370.20  were  collected  in 
the  way  of  fines  and  $219  were  paid  out 
as  lawyer's  fees. 

Among  the  local  events  of  the  year  of 
1869  were  the  commencing  of  work  on 
\he  western  division  of  the  C.  &  A. 
railroad,  the  building  of  the  engine 
house,  the  admission  of  L.  G.  Pearre  to 
the  bar,  the  entrance  of  the  Dwight 
Star  upon  its  third  year  in  an  enlarged 
form  with  its  appearance  much  im- 
proved, the  erection  of  a  dwelling  by 
Wm.  Walker  and  one  by  Leander  Mor- 
^'an,  the  refitting  of  J.  A.  Turner's 
hotel  and  an  addition  to  that  kept  by 
Iliram  Cornell,  the  construction  of  a 
fine  residence  by  Kev.  J.  A.  Montgom- 
ery, also  by  Dr.  Baker,  the  departure  of 
Father  Dunn,  of  the  Boman  Catholic 
church,  and  the  call  extended  to  Rev. 
L.  F.  Walker  by  the  Presbyterians,  the 
removal  of  Col.  B.  P.  Morgan,  Jr.,  and 
family  to  Bloomington,  the  occurence 
of  the  great  fire  taking  place  at  the 


IIISTOHY  OF  DWKillT.  lLLi:N()iy. 


3U 


corner  of  Franklin  Street  and  Mazon 
avenue,  rlestroving  fourteen  buildings 
and  entailing  a  heavy  loss  upon  several 
of  our  citizens,  the  death  of  AV'm.  Ches- 
ter and  the  marriage  of  Daniel  Hurley 
to  Margaret  Sands  and  the  much-talked 
of  Kankakee  &  Illinois  lliver  railroad. 
1870-'71. 

The  canvas  of  the  election  returns 
made  this  year  possesses  considerable 
interest  as  showing  the  reaction  suf- 
ferred  by  the  Trinceton  charter  move- 
ment and  the  relative  strength  of  par- 
ties divided  upon  this  single  issue.  'J'he 
candidates  and  votes  received  t»y  each 
are  as  follows: 

License— C.  S.  Xewell,  121;,!.  11.  llag- 
erty,  120;  L.  F.  Slyder,  118;  U.  C.  Adams, 
120;  G.M.  Hahn.  119. 

Frohibition^O  W.  Follard,  27;  O. 
I'otter,  2(5:  Henry  Flaherty,  27;  J.  B. 
Parsons,  2fi;  N.  Burnham,  26;  David 
:N[cVVilliams,  25,  J.  C.  Cook,  1. 

W.  S.  Sims,  being  on  both  tickets,  160 
votes. 

This  gave  the  Anti-Princeton  Char- 
ter ticket  an  average  majority  of  nine- 
ty-three votes.  It  was,  as  it  appears, 
almost  a  Bull  Run  defeat  to  the  no-li- 
cense advocates.  Prohibition  legisla- 
tion had  not  proved  a  success  This 
was  not  to  be  attributed  to  a  lack  of 
reasonable  effort  on  ths  part  of  those 
selected  to  lead  in  the  battle  or  to  their 
incompetency,  but  to  the  fact  that  the 
bulk  of  the  community  had,  for  a  year 
or  two  preceding,  acted  more  from 
impulse  than  from  any  well-settled 
principles  concerning  prohibition  as  the 
only  method  that  promises  to  relieve  a 
suffering  people  from  the  curse  of 
drunkenness,  and  the  disorders  and 
oppressive  taxation  that  always  attend 
the  traffic  in  intoxicating  drinks.  The 
other  officers  were  L.  G.  Pearre,  clerk: 
H.  T.  Newell,  treasurer:  John  Devoe, 
poundmaster:  J.  C.  George,  constable: 


S.  M.  Witt,  constable  and  street  com- 
missioner; ,1.  L.  Dunlop,  attorney. 
Having  no  power,  as  a  Board,  to  nulify 
the  charter  under  which,  as  a  village 
organization,  we  were  operating,  there 
could  be  no  repeal  of  its  prohibitory  or- 
dinance and  a  substitution  of  one  au- 
thorizing the  issuing  of  licenses  for  the 
sale  of  intoxicating  liquors.  A\'e  have 
here  presented  the  singular  anomoly  of 
a  village  having  a  prohibitory  law  and 
at  the  same  time  having  a  Board  com- 
posed of  members  that  had  been  elect- 
ed by  a  large  majority  and  yet  known 
to  be  strongly  opposed  to  enforcing  it. 
Whatever  may  have  been  the  cause  or 
causes,  there  is  no  denying  the  fact  that 
this  was  at  that  time,  with  the  greater 
part  of  the  people,  an  obnoxious  tem- 
perance law.  This  Board  was  not,  how- 
ever, inclined  to  suffer  liquor  to  be  sold 
without  let  or  hindrance,  or  to  let  the 
disorderly  go  unrebuked  or  unpunished. 
If  opposed  to  prohibition,  it  was  far 
from  favoring  free  whisky.  According 
to  the  views  entertained  it  was  far 
wiser  to  aim  to  regulate  and  tax  what  it 
seemed  impossible  to  prohibit  and 
thereby  secure  a  handsome  revenue  to 
the  village  Chapter  5  of  the  ordi- 
nances was  amended  so  as  to  read  to- 
wit:  ' 

"Section  4.  The  town  constable  shall 
arrest  any  persons  whom  he  may  lind 
drunk  in  the  streets  of  the  town  or  in 
way  disturbing  the  quiet  and  peace  of 
the  town  and  detain  such  person  until 
he  can  be  taken  before  the  police  mag- 
istrate or  other  justice  of  the  peace  of 
said  town  for  trial  and  punishment,  as 
provided  by  the  ordinances  of  said  town. 

"Section  5.  The  town  constable  shall, 
upon  view  of  the  commission  of  any 
offence  against  the  ordinances  of  said 
town,  with  or  without  process,  arrest  all 
persons  engaged  in  the  commission  of 
such    offence    and    take   such    person 


40 


niSTOUY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


before  the  police  magistrate  or  other 
justice  of  the  peace  iu  said  town  for 
trial  and  punishment  or  detain  such 
person  until  he  can  be  taken  before  the 
police  magistrate  or  other  justice  of  the 
peace  as  atoresaid." 

The  amendment  is  pres^'nted,  as  it 
leads  to  an  inference  that  the  appear- 
ance of  men  upon  the  street  in  an  in- 
toxicated condition  was  of  such  fre- 
quent occurence  as  to  demand  of  the 
Board  an  act  in  the  form  of  an  ordi- 
nance, making  it  the  duty  of  the  vil- 
lage constable  to  arrest,  with  or  with- 
out process,  drunken  or  disorderly  per- 
sons and  taka  them  before  a  competent 
court. 

Chapter  8  of  the  ordinances,  which 
made  it  unlawful  to  "sell,  barter  or  ex- 
change or  give  away  distilled,  vinous, 
malt  or  fermented  liquors,''  was  amend 
ed,  so  as  to  make  the  penalty  for  each 
violation  to  be  "not  less  than  five  dol 
lars  nor  more  than  fifty  dollars"  instead 
of  "not  less  than  fifty  dollars  nor  more 
than  one  hundred  dollars." 

This,  of  course,  lessened  the  risk  of 
dealing  in  liquors,  but  the  dealers  were 
given  to  understand  that  they  must  pay 
fines  for  the  privilege  of  selling.  If  they 
would  not  do  It  voluntarily  recourse 
would  be  had  to  law,  as  the  prohibitory 
ordinance  remained  unrepealed.  It 
amounted,  virtually,  to  an  unofficial 
permit  to  sell  liquor  with  an  implied 
agreement  on  the  part  ot  the  saloon 
keepers  that  they  would  pay  fines  in 
lieu  of  license  fees.  It  is  inferred,  how- 
ever, that  the  fines  were  not  paid  as 
cheerfully  as  the  board  had  a  right  to 
expect,  as  a  resolution  was  carried  by 
which  the  attorney  was  instructed  to 
prosecute  defaulting  saloon  keepers 
promptly  once  a  month.  Several  suits 
were  commenced  and  in  the  month  of 
February  settlement  was  made  by  the 
attorney  with  six  saloon  keepers  for 


fines  due,  which  the  board  voted  to 
ratify.  The  license  fee  for  operating 
billard  tallies  was  fixed  for  .S5  a  month, 
instead  of  $8,  and  licenses  were  issued 
to  -Joseph  Gerson  and  S.  Goldsmith. 

During  this  year  a  census  was  or- 
dered and  L.  AV.  P.  Wilmot  was  en- 
gaged to  perform  the  task.  This  report 
possesses  some  interest,  as  it  indicates 
the  size  to  which  tlie  village  had  at- 
tained, the  number  <if  ,  buildings 
and  inhabitants.  It  is  as  fol- 
lows: Number  of  inhabitants,  l,0i4: 
dwellings,  212;  families,  120;  white 
males,  537,  white  females,  .501;  colored 
males,  4;  colored  females,  2;  males  for- 
eign born,  109;  females  foreign  born. 
To;  number  attending  school,  225;  num- 
ber that  cannot  read,  11;  number  that 
cannot  write,  37;  number  of  electors, 
243. 

Under  the  head  of  local  events  men- 
tion may  be  made  of  J.  C.  Lewis's  pur- 
chase of  a  fine  residence;  the  birth  of 
Jas.  G.  Strong,  Jr.;  the  completion  and 
occupancy  of  Wm.  A.  Sargeant's  hard- 
ware store,  also  Wait's  new  store,  both 
located  on  Chatham  liow;  the  visit  oi 
Gen,  Grant  and  party,  accompanied  by 
Gov.  Palmer,  of  this  state,  and  the  edi- 
tor of  the  Star  to  Chicago;  the  enlarge- 
ment of  the  Dwight  Star  into  a  four- 
column  paper:  tlie  departure  of  liev. 
Jas.  "\V.  Haney,  of  the  M.  E.  church,  and 
the  arrival  of  Eev.  G.  M.  Irwin,  his  suc- 
cessor; the  organization  of  the  Dwight 
Temperance  I'nion;  the  building  and 
occupancy  of  a  new  brick  store  by  John 
Potter;  the  death  of  Anna  Y.,  eldest 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  JSIrs.  J.  I.  Dunlop; 
the  marriage  of  J.  Sears  and  Mollie 
Coon ;  the  departure  of  11,  S,  McIldufE 
with  a  view  of  locating  in  Missouri; 
the  resignation  of  Rev.  L.  F.  Walker, 
of  the  Presbyterian  church;  the  Dwight 
Star's  enlargement  for  the  fifth  time; 
the  appointment  of  Col .  E.  P.  Morgan, 


Four  Generations  of  the   Bartholic  Family. 
(Col   D    B.  Bartl]olic  bears  tl]e  reputatioi]  of  being  the  oldest  n]an  iq  Duuight 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


41 


Jr.,  to  a  place  on  the  Board  of  llailroad 
(Commissioners;  the  election  of  Hugh 
Thompson  to  the  othce  of  supervisor; 
and  the  closing  out  sale  of  W.  H.  Sar- 
geant  to  John  Potter.  The  year  had 
been  a  measurably  prosperous  one  and 
all  were  very  hopeful  concerning  the 
town's  growth.  Valuable  improve- 
ments were  talked  of  for  the  approach- 
ing summer. 

1871-'72. 

The  election  returns  are  presented  in 
full  that  they  may  be  compared  with 
those  of  the  previous  year.  The  com- 
parison will  show  that  though  the  no-li- 
cense party  had  been  nearly  over- 
whelmed the  year  before  it  comes  for- 
ward to  the  polls  with  its  numerical 
strength  more  than  tribled. 

License— C.  S.  Newell,  92;  J.  H.  Hag- 
erty,  82;  W.  S.  Sims,  (on  both  tickets), 
100;E.R.  Stevens,  91;  G.  M.  Hahn,  92; 
Daniel  Smith,  87. 

Trohibition— O.  W.  Pollard,  81;  D. 
McWilliams,  78:  O.  Potter,  80;  J.  C. 
Iletzel,  80;  ,L  B.  Parsons,  79. 

This  gave  the  successful  party  only 
an  average  majority  of  eight  against 
ninety-three  the  preceeding  election. 
This  result  indicates  that  there  was  a 
return  of  former  sentiment  in  favor  of 
prohibition,  or  at  least  a  growing  de- 
sire that  there  should  be  a  more  vigor- 
ous prosecution  of  those  who  persisted 
in  selling  ardent  spirits  without  legal 
authority  for  so  doing. 

The  other  ofiicers  on  the  staff  consist- 
ed of  L.  F.  Slyder,  clerk:  II.  T.  Newell, 
treasurer;  S.  M.  Witt,  marshal;  J.  I. 
Dunlop,  attorney;  Wm.  Taylor,  pound 
master.  The  Board,  as  soon  as  it  was 
fairly  organized,  instructed  its  attorney 
to  institute  proceedings  at  once  against 
all  persons  guilty  of  selling  intoxicat- 
ing liquors  as  a  beverage  within  the 
corporate  limits  of  the  village.  It  took 
similar  action  in  the  early  part  of  .Tuly 


following,  making  its  instructions 
more  imperative  by  adding  that  such 
persons  "be  prosecuted  to  the  full  extent 
of  the  law."  Not  being  satisfied,  evi- 
dently, with  what  it  had  done  towards 
bringing  guilty  parties  to  an  account, 
near  the  end  of  this  same  month  it  or- 
dered that  its  attorney  "prosecute  with- 
out further  delay.''  The  J5oard  is 
found,  in  September,  insisting  that 
more  must  be  done  to  remind  saloon 
keepers  that  they  were  lawbreakers  and 
that  the  community  demanded  that 
they  should  pay  the  penalty.  Judg- 
ments were  obtained  agamst  four  sa- 
loon keepers.  Another  difficulty  was 
now  experienced  in  getting  these  par- 
lies to  settle.  Overtures  were  made 
which  were  probably  accepted,  though 
no  minute  is  made  of  it.  During  the 
two  years  fines  to  the  amount  of 
$1,824.15  were  collected.  The  records 
show  nothing  more  that  posseses  any 
interest. 

The  search  for  locals  belonging  to  this 
year  has  resulted  in  ascertaining  the 
occurrence  of  some  events,  such  as  the 
building  of  fences  around  both  parks; 
the  marriage  of  Mr.  H.  Donaldson,  of 
Gardner,  to  Miss  Mary  Banks  of  this 
place,  and  Mr.  Stephen  Hall  to  Miss 
Anna  Austin;  the  taking  possession  of 
the  McPherson  House  by  John  Stafford, 
one  of  the  most  enterprising  and  popu- 
lar landlords  Dwight  ever  had;  the 
marriage  of  Mr,  J.  M.Smith  to  Miss 
Octavia  D.  Burnham,  of  Normal,  and 
that  of  Mr.  Manning  Smith  and  Miss 
Kate  Baker;  the  celebration  of  the 
Fourth  of  July  in  the  grove  of  W.  S. 
Sims,  J.  I.  Dunlop,  Esq.,  acting  as  the 
president  of  the  day,  Hon.  W.  N.  Pierce, 
of  Grundy,  being  the  orator  and  Miss 
Frank  McClure  the  reader  of  the  Dec- 
laration of  Independence;  one  attract- 
ive feature  consisting  of  a  tastily-deco- 
rated liberty  car,  the  goddess  of  liberty 


42 


HISTORY  OF  D WIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


being  personated  by  Mrs.  Thompson; 
the  venture  of  Chas.  Dittus  in  the  hotel 
business  by  taking  charge  of  the  Dwight 
House,  Hiram  Cornell  retiring;  the  re- 
engagement  of  Prof.  C.  I.  Gruey  as 
principal  of  the  schools,  and  the  great 
Sunday  school  picnic  in  Round  Grove, 
in  which  all  the  Sunday  schools  of  the 
townships  of  Broughton,  Round  Grove, 
Dwight  and  Union  join.  During  this 
year  J.  C.  Hetzel  puts  a  brick  addition 
to  his  store;  Mr.  Elisha  B.  Ketcham 
marries  Miss  Jennie  Losee,  Clark  & 
Goedert  take  possession  of  their  new 
shop;  the  new  tirm  of  Thompson  & 
Porter  is  announced  ;the  Renfrews  com- 
pete with  base  ball  clubs  of  other  towns, 
some  unknown  person  fires  a  bullet  into 
the  house  of  Wm.  H.  Conrad  in  the 
evening  while  the  family  are  sitting  at 
a  table  reading;  Rev.  W.  L.  Boyd,  of 
Pennsylvania,  receives  a  call  to  the  pul- 
pit of  the  Presbyterian  church,  many 
of  our  citizens  go  to  Chicago  to  witness 
the  ruins  and  meetings  are  held  to  raise 
money,  food  and  clothes  for  those  who 
had  lost  their  all  in  the  great  tire;  131- 
000  bushels  of  oats  and  corn  shipped  by 
our  grain  dealers;  Henry  Petitt  is  in- 
jured by  the  fall  of  a  bank  vault;  Mr. 
Theodore  Elcessor  marries  Miss  Eliza 
Franklin;  Azro  Norton  dies;  Alvin  V. 
Panwitz,  a  Prussian  nobleman  and  ten- 
ant of  R.  C.  Adams,  is  murdered  by 
Frederick  Shafer,  both  having  been  on 
a  drunken  spree;  the  tirms  of  Baker  tS:; 
Smith,  druggists,  and  Ford  &  Gilbert 
are  dissolved;  the  dealers  in  agricultur- 
al implements,  in  their  zeal  to  make 
sales,  send  out  wagons  at  a  distance  of 
twenty-live  miles  with  a  view  of  check- 
mating each  other  indisposingof  plows 
and  cultivators;  the  C.  &  A.  railroad 
threatens  to  remove  the  depot  building 
one  mile  out  of  town  in  revenge  for 
some  adverse  decision  of  the  Supreme 
Court;  the  mother  of  L- G.  Pearre  ia 


removed  by  death ;  Mr.  Harvey  Bent- 
ley,  of  Chicago,  marries  Mrs.  Eliza. 
Patrick,  and  the  lovely  little  daughter, 
Alsie,  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richard  Gard- 
ner, is  taken  away,  being  three  and  a 
half  years  old;  the  elaborate  and  inter- 
esting articles  of  S.  T.  K.  Ptime,  pre- 
pared expressly  for  the  Star,  were  read! 
and  appreciated;  the  sermons  of  the 
pastors  received  eulogistic  notices  and 
those  laboring  in  the  public  schoot 
were  frequently  praised  for  their  effi- 
ciency and  faithfulness.  The  year  wili 
be  ?eniembered  as  one  during  which 
there  was  comparitively  little  sickness, 
and  few  deaths. 

1872-'7a 

C.  S.  Newell,  president,  G.  M.  Ilahn, 
W.  S.  Sims,  J.  H.  Hagerty,  Daniet 
Smith  and  E,  R.  Stevens,  as  trustees, 
were  inducted  into  office  by  subscribing 
to  the  usual  oath.  Whether  there  was- 
another  set  of  candidates  is  a  Question, 
upon  which  the  minutes  throw  no  light 
as  no  record  is  made  of  any  canvass  of 
the  election  returns. 

From  other  sources,  however,  it  has 
been  ascertained  that  there  was  two 
tickets  with  results: 

New  board — Curtis  J.  Judd,  50  votes: 
A.  Brubaker,  48;  Jesse  DilSenbaugh,  49; 
Wm.  Walker,  47;  D.  Mc Williams,  41; 
Hugh  Thompson,  47. 

Old  Board— Chas.  S.  Newell,  11(> 
votes;  E.  R.  Stevens,  119;  W.  S.  Sims, 
124;  J.  H.  Hagerty,  118;  I>aniel  Smith, 
115;G.  M.  Ilahn,  117 

C.  L.  Palmer  was  elected  clerk,  S.  M. 
Witt  was  made  marshal,  II.  T.  Newell, 
treasurer,  and  Wm.  Taylor  ponndmas- 
ter.  It  was  voted  to  dispense  witli  an 
attorney.  Lewis  Kenyon  was  employed 
to  collect  a  certain  claim  The  question 
of  sinking  a  well  for  the  benelit  of  the 
farmers  coming  long  distances  to  mar- 
ket their  products  and  make  their  pur- 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLIJ^OIS. 


43 


chases,  appears  to  have  been  agitated 
considerably,  and  resulted  in  the  pre- 
sentation of  a  petition  signed  by  fifty 
persons  praying  that  some  action  be 
taken  that  would  evenuate  in  securing 
a  good  artesian  well.  Later  an  oppor- 
tunity was  offered,  and  the  levy  of  a 
tax  not  exceeding  $2,000  was  author- 
ized. Nothing,  however,  exists  to-day 
indicating  that  the  contemplated  pro- 
ject was  ever  accomplished. 

The  contract  to  build  a  bridge  across 
the  creek  where  Franklin  and  James 
streets  intersect  each  other,  was  let  to 
A.  C.  Barnum  for  $26.  The  Legisla- 
ture of  this  state  to  be  credited  with 
enacting  a  wise  law  which  was  to  go  in 
force  the  first  of  July  of  this  year.  Any 
city  or  village  could  be  incorporated 
under  it  by  taking  the  prescribed  legal 
steps.  It  sanctioned  the  local  option 
plan  as  the  wisest  disposition  to  be 
made  of  the  liquor  traffic.  The  board 
issued  a  call  for  an  election  to  be  held 
the  23d  of  July,  to  ascertain  by  ballot 
whether  our  citizens  would  prefer  to 
retain  the  organization  they  had  or  to 
become  organized  under  this  general 
act  of  incorporation,  which  would  con- 
fer upon  the  trustees  to  be  elected  an- 
nually, the  power  to  either  prohibit  or 
license  the  sale  of  intoxicants.  Four 
votes  against  and  seventy-two  votes 
favoring  a  new  organization  was  the 
result  of  this  election.  The  Board  pro- 
ceeds to  exercise  the  powers  which  the 
new  organization  conferred. 

An  official  notice  was  served  upon  all 
who  had  heretofore  engaged  in  liquor 
selling  to  desist  until  each  should  have 
put  up  an  approved  bond  of  $3,000,  and 
shall  have  paid  to  the  treasurer  $200  as 
a  fee.  It  was  voted  that  all  persons  so 
complying  should  be  given  a  license  to 
sell  for  one  year.  Thus  Dwight  became 
a  license  town  and  the  last  vestige  of 
the   Princeton  charter  measures  was 


blotted  out.  Every  movement  having 
moral  as  well  as  political  ends,  has  its 
friends.  So  it  was  with  this  one,  and 
there  were  those  who  mourned  the 
death  of  this  organization  that  at  first 
had  promised  so  much  and  were  fear- 
ful of  the  results  of  the  new  departure 
in  the  way  of  treating  the  temperance 
question.  The  great  State  of  Illinois 
lias  been  so  well  satisfied  with  the  local 
option  temperance  law  then  enacted 
that  it  has  been  willing  to  let  it  remain 
unchanged.  It  is  undoubtedly  the  best 
that  can  be  had  till  the  people  all  over 
the  State  are  so  thoroughly  indoctri- 
nated with  prohibition  principles  that 
it  will  not  only  make  the  enforcement 
of  a  prohibitory  law  possible,  but  prob- 
able. The  minutes  do  not  give  the 
names  of  those  who  were  granted  li- 
censes, but  the  report  of  the  finance 
committee  shows  that  $832.50  for  li- 
censes and  $303.20  for  fines  were  re- 
ceived. 

A  thorough  examination  of  all  the 
ordinances  and  passing  and  publishing 
them  with  a  view  to  their  being  pub 
lished  in  pamphlet  form,  in  connection 
with  the  general  act  of  incorporation, 
was  a  work  done  by  this  Board  which 
entitles  it  to  the  gratitude  of  all  suc- 
ceeding administrations.  This  year 
did  nov  pass  without  events  worthy  of 
being  chronicled  as  reminders  of  past 
scenes.  Strangers  will  read  them  with- 
out interest  and  perhaps  without 
profit.  Not  so,  however,  with  those 
who  have  by  a  long  residence  become 
identified  with  the  history  of  Dwight. 
In  these  as  well  as  in  those  of  every 
other  year  may  be  traced  the  comical, 
the  tragical  and  the  serious.  Henry 
Newell's  house  is  entered  by  burglars 
causing  the  inmates  no  little  fright; 
Jesse  Slyder  purchases  Slyder  &  Co.'s 
bankrupt  stock;  W.  II.  Bradbury 
makes  a  trip  to  England;  Dr.  J.  Payne 


44 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


opens  a  dental  office;  the  McPherson 
House  undergoes  some  valuable  im- 
provements; a  Grant  and  Wilson  club 
is  formed;  Nathan  Baker  erects  a  two- 
story  dwelling  house;  Kev.  R  G.Pearce 
is  appointed  to  the  pastorate  of  the  M. 
E.  church;  Col.  J.  B.  Parsons  receives 
the  first  car  of  anthracite  coal  ever 
brought  to  town;  Newell  Bros,  engage 
in  the  lumber  business:  Mr.  Benj.  B. 
Dow  marries  Miss  Jennie  Devoe,  of 
Nevada;  Smith  »&  Foesterliog  build  a 
two-story  blacksmith  shop  with  a  pub- 
lic hall  above;  Burw^n  Losee,  one 
among  the  first  settlers  of  the  place  and 
for  several  years  constable,  is  suddenly 
killed  by  a  runaway  team  while  sitting 
on  the  porch  in  front  of  McWilliams  -fe 
Judd's  store;  B.  B.  Dow  while  in  the 
attempt  to  couple  cars  receives  injuries 
requiring  the  amputation  of  one  toe 
and  two  fingers;  Mrs.  H.  A.  Gardner 
removes  to  Joliet;  the  horses  all  over 
the  county  become  unntted  for  service 
by  a  contagious  disease  called  epizoo- 
tic; Mr.  J.  H.  McDonald  is  made  the 
husband  of  Miss  E.  J.  George,  and  Mr. 
Geo.  L.  Taylor  is  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Emma  C.  Goodman;  Samuel  11. 
Kenney  obtains  a  pvatent  for  a  car 
starter;  Miss  Frank  McClure  takes 
charge  of  one  of  the  departments  of 
the  public  school;  Borin  &  Baker  form 
a  co-partnership  for  dealing  in  live 
stock;  C.  S.  Newell  goes  to  Joliet  to  en- 
gage in  the  manufacture  of  metallic 
cornices;  during  Christmas  week  corn 
brought  19  cents  per  bushel;  a  Christ- 
mas tree  was  erected  on  the  lamp  post 
of  the  McPherson  House  on  whicii  was 
hung  a  present  for  nearly  every  busi- 
ness man  in  Dwight,  the  gifts  being  of 
a  character  to  cause  a  good  deal  of  mer- 
riment; at  the  Christmas  tree  entertain- 
ment of  the  Congregational  Church,  R. 
H.  Kneeland  read  an  original  poem.  It 
is  too  good  to  be  lost,  and  well  merits  a 


reproduction.    It   is  given  now  as  it 
was  printed  in  the  Dwight  Star: 
I. 

Far  to  the  south  the  genial  sun 
Has  his  autumnal  journey  run, 
And  irom  tl\e  groves  wliere  sumnter  shone 
Tlie  robin  and  the  thrush  are  gone: 
And  all  the  forests,  brown  and  bare, 
Witli  naked  arms  tlie  tempests  dare. 
The  summer  streamlet's  noisy  flow 
Is  muffled  deep  In  ice  and  snow; 
Its  gentle  murmurs  low  and  sweet. 
Scarce  heard  beneath  its  winding  sheet. 
The  time  of  frosts  and  storms  is  here: 
Stem  Winter  rules  our  Northern  spliere? 
A  warrior  grim  and  fierce  is  he. 
Who  marches  from  tlie  northern  sea, 
And  all  our  bills,  and  valts  and  glades, 
With  conquering  footsteps  now  invades; 
Anil  soutliward  still  his  cruel  host 
Far  towards  the  tropics  hurls  his  frost! 
A  monarch  he  of  cruel  soul. 
Who  makes  his  throne  beside  the  pole^ 
And  guards  it  well  from  human  touch, 
With  bars  no  human  can  appro;»cli. 
No  force  that  man  has  ever  sent, 
Could  scale  his  icy  battlement. 

II. 
Again  we  hail  the  joyous  morn 
On  which  a  Hebrew  child  was  bom- 
Unknown  and  lowly,  yet  wliose  name 
Has  filletl  the  world  with  more  than  fame. 
Poor,  in  a  manger  damp  and  cold. 
Yet  never  prince  with  hoards  of  gold— 
With  realms  on  land  and  fleets  at  sea, 
Had  fraction  of  such  wealth  as  He. 
Tho'  frail  and  weak,  no  potentate 
In  ah  the  wide  earth's  mightiest  state— 
Whose  conquests  made  all  others  dim. 
Could  match  in  royal  i>ower  with  Him. 

III. 
Whence  was  His  wealth— in  secret  mine 
For  Hini  did  gems  unnumbered  shine? 
For  Hinr  alone  in  heai>s  untold 
Had  Nature  store  exhaustle.ss  gold? 
No!  no;  all  gems  and  gold  al)«ve, 
Unmeasm-ed  by  aught  else- His  love. 
And  he  is  rich  who  feels  its  tide— 
And  i)<)or  to  whom  it  is  denied— 
Tho'  all  the  treasures  of  the  seas, 
W^ith  all  the  circling  shores,  were  his. 

IV. 
Where  was  His  ix)wer?  Did  .lesus  boast 
Of  marshalled  lield  and  countless  host? 
Or  march  in  triumph  o'er  the  plain 
Kxultaut  at  theheaiJs  of  slain? 
Where  was  his  power?    The  fwce  tliat  lies 
In  tender  tones  and  tearful  eyes; 
The  forcv  that  fears  no  battlement. 
Because  it  is  Onniiixitent. 
The  love  whose  sweet  inspiring  breath 
Filled  all  His  life,  and  crowned   His  death— 
in  Oilvary's  sult'ering  and  despair 
For  those  who  slew  Him  breathed  a  prayer. 
'I  he  love  that  knew  no  change  nor  loss 
Froui  15<ithlehem's  manger  to  the  cross; 
That  sought  no  sect,  that  luiew  no  creed, 
Itut  hun»an  guilt  and  human  need. 
Such  love  t>e  ours- we  need  it  sore. 
In  dying  nuich— In  hving  more. 

v- 

It  took  Illin  from  His  lowly  bed. 
It  poured  its  nuUance  where  His  pathway 
Le«l, 


IIISTOlir  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


45 


It  bore  Him  tliro'  a  life  of  poverty  and  scorn 
Ami  robed  Jiim  in  all  fjlories  on  ascension 
I  morn. 

VI. 

Draw  near  ()  man.  and  touch  His  garment's 

liem, 
And  wear  witli  Him  the  jjHceless  diadem; 
He,  who,  all  hate  and  stUf  has  sacrificed, 
Lil^e  Him,  in  love  shall  be  imparadise. 
For  His  TKUK  follower  lives  another  Christ. 

Anything  like  a  complete  list  of  news 
items  for  this  year  will  require  the 
mentioning  of  other  occurrences.  Ed. 
Newell,  son  of  C.  S.  Newell,  goes  to 
Springfield  to  act  as  page  in  the  Senate; 
1).  McWilliams  rebuilds  his  banking 
oilice  destroyed  by  lire  over  vault  in 
burnt  district.  At  this  period  the 
Grangers'  movement  was  at  its  height, 
farmers'  club  meetings  were  frequent, 
but  the  effort  to  dispose  of  the  middle- 
men was  not  a  success;  Hiram  Cornell 
again  becomes  landlord  of  the  Dwight 
House:  Stafford's  Minstrels  give  a  per- 
formance which  elicited  enthusiastic 
and  flattering  comment,  the  troupe 
being  composed  entirely  of  home  tal- 
ent; Pappy  Howe  dies  at  the  age  of  76 
years;  B.  B.  Dow  recovers  from  his 
severe  injuries  and  takes  charge  of  the 
railroad  odice  at  Nevada,  The  pen  of 
the  chronicler  is  laid  down  to  rest  a 
week  before  beginning  the  next  chap- 
ter. 

It  is  evident  that  there  was  but  one 
ticket  at  this  election,  as  the  aver- 
age vote  cast  for  the  six  successful  can- 
didates was  106.  In  the  absence  of  any 
statement  to  the  contrary,  it  is  fair  to 
infer  that  either  the  community  was 
pleased  with  the  administration  of  af- 
fairs for  the  year  just  closed,  or  no  other 
candidates  were  brought  forward  for 
the  reason  there  was  no  probability  of 
electing  them.  Unopposed  and  with 
the  unanimous  approval,  it  would 
seem,  of  all  who  voted,  W.  S.  Sims,  E. 
R.  Stevens,  II.  C.  Adams,  II.  Thomp- 
son, N.  Tiiggs  and  John  Stafford  were 
elected  village  trustees.    The  honor  of 


presiding  was  given  to  W.  S.  Sims.  C. 
L.  Palmer  being  elected  clerk,  held  the 
office  a  portion  of  the  year,  and  was 
succeeded  by  W.  II.  JJradbury.  The 
other  officers  were  James  Mcllduff,  po 
lice  magistrate;  S.  M.  Witt,  marshal;  J. 
B.  Baker,  treasurer,  and  Wm.  Taylor, 
pound  master.  For  the  office  of  treas- 
urer there  was  quite  a  scramble.  There 
being  some  fifteen  hundred  dollars  in  the 
treasury  may  have  had  something  to 
do  with  the  ardent  desire  to  have  the 
place.  There  were  no  less  than  four 
earnest  and  presistent  applicants,  one 
proposing  to  receive  and  disburse  the 
village  funds  for  nothing;  two  offered 
to  do  it  for  twenty-five  dollars,  aijd  the 
other  for  what  had  been  paid  during 
the  twelve  preceding  years,  or  what 
the  law  allowed,  which  was  2  per  cent 
on  all  monies  passing  through  the  treas- 
urer's hands.  Each  applicant  had  his 
friends  and  able  advocates.  Button- 
holing, wirepulling,  a  free  use  of  threats 
the  art  of  persuasion,  earnest  pleadings, 
the  usual  tricks  of  factions,  misrepre- 
sentation and  abuse,  in  fact  all  the 
methods  resorted  to  in  fierce  political 
contests  were  adopted.  It  was  a  State 
political  campaign  in  miniature.  One 
faction  argued  that  it  was  the  duty  of 
the  Board  to  run  the  affairs  of  the  vil- 
lage on  the  most  economical  plan  pos- 
sible; that  a  penny  saved  was  as  good 
as  a  penny  earned,  and  threatened  if  the 
Board  did  not  give  the  otlice  to  the 
man  who  would  perform  the  duties  for 
the  least  money,  they  would  prosecute 
the  members  of  the  Board  and  seek  to 
recover  by  law  any  amount  that  might 
be  paid  a  treasurer  in  the  way  of  com- 
pensation during  the  year.  The  other 
party,  with  equal  warmth  and  deter- 
mination, argued  that  the  principle  of 
offering  responsible,  salaried  offices, 
either  national.  State  or  those  of  a  mu- 
nicipality, to  the  lowest  bidder,  was  in 


46 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


itself  wrong.  It  threw  wide  open  the 
doors  of  political  jobbery  and  bribery, 
and  that  this  course,  if  followed  would 
put  all  the  offices  in  the  hands  of  schem- 
ing and  wealthy  politicans,  to  the  ex- 
clusion of  the  poor  nran,  however 
worthy  and  competent.  Either  from 
prejudice,  inclination,  favoritism,  or 
through  the  influence  of  the  latter  ar- 
guments, Dr.  J.  B.  Baker  received  the 
appointment,  and  was  paid  at  the  end 
of  the  year  .361.50. 

It  will  be  seen  that  no  less  than  eight 
persons  were  authorized  to  conduct  a 
saloon  business.  With  striking  con- 
sistency and  commendable  forethought, 
a  coipmittee  was  appointed  to  procure 
plans  and  specifications  for  a  brick  cal- 
aboose, for  where  saloons  exist  jails  be- 
come an  absolute  necessity.  In  Octo- 
ber the  purchase  of  a  pair  of  hand- 
cuffs, policeman's  belt  and  club,  for 
the  use  of  the  marshal,  was  ordered. 
The  donation  of  Col.  R.  P.  Morgan,  .Jr., 
of  thirty  feet  of  ground  for  a  street  by 
the  depot,  connecting  East  and  West 
streets,  was  accepted,  and  an  ordinance 
making  it  a  public  thoroughfare  was 
passed  and  ordered  published.  The  re- 
ceipts for  fines  were  .§18,  and  for  li- 
censes .§2,272.80.  No  other  matters  of 
interest  are  to  be  discovered  in  the 
minutes  for  this  municipal  year. 

The  principal  local  events  are  named 
about  in  the  order  of  their  occurence, 
though  for  want  of  space  dates  are 
omitted.  The  year  is  remarkable  for 
the  number  of  marriages.  Kichard 
Rowe  returns  to  Dwight  and  opens  a 
Hour  and  feed  store  on  Mazon  avenue. 
Dr.  Morgan  builds  a  new  dwelling  on 
the  same  street.  Cadwallader  &  Rhodes 
erect  a  new  elevator.  Mr.  Geo.  T.  Pet- 
tett  marries  Miss  Susan  Baker.  Mrs. 
Sorohoma  Witt,  mother  of  S.  M.  Witt 
and  Mrs.  J.  (J.  Strong,  dies,  aged  74 
years.    Rev.  F.  H.  Ilargreaves  preaches 


a  farewell  sermon  in  the  Presbyterian 
church,  and  accepts  a  call  from  the  so- 
ciety in  Union.  J.  A.  Cavanaugh  builds 
a  new  elevator  at  Nevada.  Walter 
Bladen  constructs  an  elevator,  being 
the  fifth  one  in  town.  The  death  of 
Cephas  Foster  occurs.  Dr.  C.  C.  Mc- 
Cabe  delivers  his  popular  lecture,  en- 
titled, "Bright  Side  of  Life  in  Libby 
Prison."  Prof.  Wilson  is  engaged  for 
another  year  as  principal  of  the  public 
school.  Mr.  Frank  W.  Ford  and  Miss 
Mollie  .J.  Scott  consent  to  a  nuptial 
union.  The  friends  of  C.  J.  Judd  give 
him  a  reception,  presenting  him  with  a 
fine  picture.  Dr.  L.  E.  Keeley  making 
the  presentation  speech.  Little  Willie, 
son  of  Nathan  Baker,  is  removed  by 
death.  J.  G.  Strong  erects  a  brick  bank 
on  East  street,  with  offices  in  the  second 
story.  A  farmers' picnic  is  held  at  S. 
T.  K.  Prime's.  Daughter  of  W.  S. 
Sims  becomes  sick  unto  death.  Dr.  J. 
H.  Hagerty,  after  five  and  a  half  mouths 
illness,  at  the  age  of  ^0,  dies,  causing 
universal  mourning  throughout  the  lo- 
cality where  he  was  so  well  known. 
The  Plymouth,  Kankakee  &  Pacific 
Railroad  Company,  from  which  our 
people  had  anticipated  so  much,  found 
to  be  insolvent,  and  like  many  other 
railroad  bubbles,  vanishes  into  thin  air. 
George  Z.  Flagler  engages  in  the  lum- 
ber business.  Mr.  Robert  Thompson 
and  Miss  Sarah  Ilibbard,  of  Barnsville, 
Ohio,  consent  to  be  made  one.  Rey. 
Montgomery  preaches  his  farewell  ser- 
mon and  accepts  a  call  from  Morris. 
Rev.  Father  Ilanley  receives  injures 
caused  by  a  runaway  team.  Rev.  R.  G. 
Pearce,  of  the  M.  E.  church,  removes  to 
Fairbury,  and  Rev.  M.  V.  B.  White 
succeeds  him.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  C. 
L.  Palmer  and  Miss  Mate  E.  McClare  is 
announced  by  the  papers  with  hearty 
congratulations  from  the  editorial  fra- 
ternity.     Mr.  Samuel  Thompson  and 


IIISTOHY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


47 


Miss  Maggie  Porter  are  joined  in  wed- 
lock. Meetings  are  held  in  many  places 
by  the  anti  monopolist  party,  under  the 
leadership  of  S.  T.  K.  Prime.  Mr.  Iler- 
mon  Kenyon  and  Miss  Emeline  Davis, 
of  Joliot,  present  themselves  at  Hy- 
men's altar.  Mr.  John  D.  Ketcham  and 
Miss  Lizzie  Johnson  take  on  them- 
selves the  marriage  vow.  The  village 
paper  reports  also  the  marriage  of  Mr. 
C.  M.  Baker  and  Miss  Lizzie  Weagley, 
and  Mr.  Jasper  W.  Philips  and  Miss 
Lucy  E.  Scammon.  J.  B.  Parsons  and 
J.  C.  Hetzel  form  a  co-partnership  and 
purchase  the  hardware  stock  of  Orson 
Potter.  Hon.  Schuyler  Colfax  lectures 
under  the  auspices  ol!  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 
There  appears  in  the  Dwight  Star  a  his- 
tory of  Dwight,  its  past,  present  and 
future,' covering  a  period  of  twenty- 
years,  from  18.54  to  1874,  ably  written, 
and  afterwards  printed  in  fine  style  in 
pamphlet  form.  C.  J.  Judd  withdraws 
from  the  firm  of  McWilliams  &  Judd, 
and  Manning  Smith  succeeds  him,  and 
the  new  firm  of  McWilliams  &  Smith 
occupy  at  once  the  just  completed  brick 
store,  the  largest  and  finest  ever  erected 
in  the  place.  The  Dwight  Star  swells 
and  enlarges  for  the  eighth  time.  Mr. 
John  C.  Poole  and  Miss  Lillie  D.  Mott 
make  mutual  pledges,  resulting  in  the 
tying  of  another  nuptial  knot,  the  same 
event  happened  to  Mr,  Garry  Wallace 
and  Miss  Jennie  Potter.  Captain  E.li. 
Stevens  and  Dr.  Baker  make  a  trip  to 
Cuba.  It  remains  to  mention  a  sensa 
tion,  caused  by  the  finding  of  the  dead 
body  of  one  Peter  C.  Jensen,  a  Dane,  in 
the  stable  of  John  Smith.  So  the  year, 
like  every  human  life,  ends  with  a  trag- 
edy. 

1874-7.5. 

During  the  winter  the  temperance 
question  was  earnestly  and  presistent- 
ly  agitated.  A  number  of  public  meet- 
ings were  held  in  all  the  churches,  at 


which  its  many  phases  were  considered. 
Those  favoring  prohibition  at  this  time 
were  greatly  in  the  minority.  It  had 
taken  time  to  recover  from  the  disas- 
trous effects  of  crushing  defeats.  They 
were  conscience-striken  that  they  had 
suffered  their  cause  to  be  lost  sight  of 
altogether  at  the  last  election  and  now 
felt  it  to  be  a  duty  to  form  a  party, 
though  small,  yet  one  which  might  in 
time,  by  the  growth  of  a  temperance 
sentiment,  become  sufiiciently  strong 
to  elect  a  board  that  would  repeal  all 
license  ordinances  and  put  a  stop  to  all 
trafiic  in  intoxicants. 

The  advocates  of  license  had  for  two 
or  three  elections  been  enabled  to  pre- 
sent themselves  as  a  solid  phalanx  at 
the  polls,  but  now  there  was  a  division 
in  their  ranks  which  foreshadowed  a 
defeat.  One  part  favored  a  very  high 
license  and  few  saloons,  which,  it  was 
thought,  might  be  made  respectable 
and  acceptable  even  to  the  temperance 
people,  save  those  who  expected  and 
exacted  too  much,  and  the  other  was  in 
favor  of  making  a  saloon  license  the 
same  it  had  been.  The  high  license  fac- 
tion, thinking  it  could  control  the  vote 
of  the  entire  party,  put  a  set  of  candi- 
dates in  the  field  who  were  in  advance 
pledged  to  make  the  license  fees  very 
much  higher  than  they  had  ever  been. 
Those  composing  the  rebellious  and 
dissappointed  element  did  not  wheelinto 
line  as  had  been  anticipated,  but  gave 
the  prohibition  ticket  the  benefit  of 
their  votes,  concluding  they  had  rather 
take  their  chances  of  making  illegal 
sales  under  a  prohibition  administra- 
tion than  to  be  compelled  to  see  the 
entire  traffic  go  into  the  hands  of  a  few 
who  had  made  enough  out  of  it  to  be 
abundantly  able  to  pay,  if  required, 
one  thousand  dollars  annually  for  the 
privilege  of  selling.  The  entire  tem- 
perance ticket  was  elected,  the  candi- 


48 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


dates  being  O.  W.  Pollard,  president; 
Oliver  Slocum,  Timothy  Driscoll,  Hugh 
Thompson,  Isaac  II.  Baker  and  J.  J. 
Gore,  trustees;  Willis  Finch,  clerk.  The 
latter  served  only  a  part  of  the  year 
and  was  succeeded  by  J.  Coe.  J.  II. 
Coe  was  made  marshal  and  served  a 
few  months,  and  on  his  resigning  Elwell 
Collins  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacan- 
cy made.  W.  J.  M.  Stevens  was  chosen 
poundmaster  and  J.  I.  Dunlop  was  em- 
ployed as  attorney.  Propositions  for 
the  treasureship  were  presented  and 
much  of  the  ground  by  way  of  discus- 
sion traveled  over  the  year  previous, 
was  gone  over  again.  Those  taking  an 
economical  view  to  the  exclusion  of  all 
other  considerations  were  victorious. 
John  Thompson  was  made  treasurer  on 
his  own  proposition  to  perform  all  the 
duties  of  the  office  for  five  cents. 
The  victory  of  the  real  friends  of  tem- 
perance was  more  in  appearance  than 
in  reality.  The  disaffected  of  the  li- 
cense party  who  had  been  the  means  of 
giving  them  the  election,  were  not  dis- 
posed to  assist  in  enforcing  a  prohibi- 
tory law,  but,  on  the  other  hund,  were 
determined  to  embarrass  the  Board  in 
every  possible  way.  They  had  not 
voted  for  the  triumph  of  temperance 
principles,  but  simply  to  take  revenge 
on  some  of  the  prominent  leaders  of 
the  license  cause,  the  one  to  which 
they  had  no  intention  of  forsaking.  A 
majority  of  all  the  voters  were  not  in 
favor  ,of  closing  all  the  dram  shops. 
The  temperance  people  were  taken  by 
surprise  by  seeing  their  ticket  elected. 
They  were  not  prepared  for  it  and  were 
in  no  condition  to  give  a  prohibition 
Board  the  support  that  was  indispensi- 
ble  to  make  it  a  success. 

The  newly  elected  trustees  found 
themselves  in  the  pitiable  plight  of  be- 
ing compelled  to  attempt  to  force  upon 
the  people  not  only  what  they  did  not 


want,  but,  moreover,  what  they  were 
determined  they  wouldn't  have.  This 
year's  administration,  so  far  as  temper- 
ance legislation  was  concerned,  was  a 
failure,  as  many  at  the  start  saw  it 
must  be.  It  served,  however,  one  good 
purpose,  in  demonstrating  the  supreme 
folly  of  attempting  to  enforce  a  pro- 
hibitory temperance  law  unless  there  is 
public  sentiment  sufficiently  strong  to 
back  it  up.  Temperance  principles 
must  first  be  enthroned  in  the  hearts  of 
the  people  before  they  can  be  success- 
fully crystalized  into  either  a  national, 
State  or  municipal  law. 

The  purchasing  of  500  feet  of  hose, 
at  a  cost  $582.50,  was  ordered,  the  citi- 
zens subscribing  $199  for  the  purpose. 
A  new  hose  cart  and  nozzle  was  added 
to  the  fire  apparatus,  and  the  calaboose 
was  repaired.  The  ordinary  expendi- 
tures for  the  year  were  $2,225.92. 

The  local  happenings  of  this  year 
were  quite  numerous,  and  it  would  be 
an,agreeable  work  and  easy  task  to  ex- 
pand an  account  of  these  so  as  to  oc- 
cupy several  columns  of  closely  printed 
matter,  the  absolute  necessity  of  brevity 
forbids  the  attempt.  Rigid  adherence 
to  the  plan  as  originally  contemplated 
will  allow  simply  a  mere  reference  to 
events,  trusting  to  the  reader's  ability 
to  recall  all  the'  attending  circum- 
stances. 

The  Odd  Fellows  celebrated  on  Sun- 
day the  fifty-lifth  anniversary  of  the  in- 
troduction of  their  order  into  this  conn 
try,  followed  on  Monday  by  festivities. 

F.  B.  Ilargreaves,  ,Iames  II.  Funk 
and  W.  r>.  Fyfe  delivering  addresses. 
Mr.  Goedert  is  wounded  badly  in  the 
head  by  tlie  bursting  of  a  grindstone. 
Dr.  L.  E.  Keeley  becomes  the  surgeon 
for  the  Chicago  &  Alton  Railroad. 
The  grangers  establish  an  agency  for 
shipping  farming  products  and  pur- 
chasing   implements    and    goods,    ap- 


Rev.  C.  W.  Ayling. 


Rev.  E.  F.  Wm  'ht. 


^i 


Rev.  R.  H,  Wilhelmsen. 


Dr.  C.  H.  Barr. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


49 


pointing  John  Waters  their  agent. 
Mr.  C,  M.  Baker  marries  Miss  Nellie 
Adams.  John  C.  Poole  is  injured  on 
the  railroad;  the  D wight  Guards  organ- 
ize, commissioned  officers  being  J.  B. 
Parsons,  captain:  S.  H.  Kenny,  first 
lieutenant  and  S.  H.  Witt,  second  lieu- 
tenant. John  Parsons  and  wife  return 
from  Kansas,  after  several  years  ab- 
sence. The  D wight  Star  reaches  its 
seventh  vear.  Wm.  Scully,  the  English 
land  owner,  accompanied  by  John 
Scully,  his  nephew,  visits  his  farming 
estate  near  this  town,  occupied  by  thir- 
ty-five tenants,  making  Henry  Fox  for- 
merly of  Pulaski,  his  agent.  C.  F. 
Deihl  is  engaged  as  principal  of  schools 
at  a  salary  of  $1,350,  his  daughter  as- 
sisting, he  having  had  twenty-seven 
years  experience  an  a  teacher.  Henry 
Shapland  is  killed  by  a  stroke  of  light- 
ening. In  the  single  month  of  June 
394  cars  of  grain  and  18  cars  of  live 
stock  are  shipped  from  this  point.  On 
the  4th  of  July  the  Catholics  hold  a 
festival,  realizing  $360,  and  the  Ger- 
mans hold  a  picnic  in  Hahn's  grove. 
Kev.  Hargreaves  delivers  a  lecture  on 
the  "Pontiac  Fire,"  and  fiev.  DeLong 
on  the  "Comet."  W.  H.  Tison  and 
wife,  of  Savannah,  Ga.,  become  the 
guests  of  D.  McWilliams.  Ten  thous- 
and head  of  hogs  shipped  from  Dwight 
in  on  one  year.  Chas.  S.  Newell,  Ed. 
Gooding,  E.  R.  Stevens,  Mrs.  C.  S. 
Newell  and  Miss  Alice  Dwelley  join  in 
an  excursion  around  the  lakes,  visiting 
Niagara  Falls.  Lou  Trunnell  com- 
pletes a  miniature  railroad  engine.  D. 
McWilliams  and  wife  go  to  Eaton 
Rapids  in  search  of  health.  Jesse 
Diffenbaugh  erects  a  two-story  brick 
dwelling.  A  military  picnic  and  fire- 
men's tournament  are  held  August  4th, 
old  Capt.  Rockwell,  a  veteran  of  the 
war  of  1812,  receiving  marked  attention. 
Hon.  J.  G.  Strong,  in   behalf  of  the 


ladies,  presents  a  banner  to  the  Dwight 
Guards  and  F.  B.  Hargreaves  replies 
for  the  latter,  both  addresses  being  of 
high  order.  Zane  Turner  is  injured  by 
the  permature  discharge  of  a  cannon. 
Mr.  John  Graham  marries  Miss  Armina 
Clarkson.  Mrs.  Parsons  erects  a  new 
millinery  store  adjoining  that  of  Henry 
Eldredge's.  Obadiah  Staley  suffers  the 
loss  of  an  ear,  and  has  his  shoulder  dis- 
located, by  being  caught  in  a  thresher. 

F.  B.  Hargreaves  makes  his  debut  as  a 
lawyer.  Rev  M.  M.  Longley  is  called 
to  the  pastorate  of  the  Congregational 
church.  Mr.  Ilillersheim  purchases 
half  interest  in  the  business  of  J.  C. 
Hetzel.  Newell,  Judd  &  Sims  form  a 
co-partnership  for  conducting  a  lumber 
and  grain  business  at  Pontiac.  Mr. 
John  L.  Gallup  marries  Miss  Malvina 
C.  Whitlock.  The  Catholic  Total  Ab- 
stinence Society  parade  the  streets, 
listen  to  an  address  and  hold  a  picnic. 
Cadwallader  &  Rhodes  sell  their  ele- 
vator to  VVm.  B.  Sargent  for  $3,600.    L. 

G.  Pearre  and  R.  Speer  Mcllduff  form 
a  partnership  for  the  practice  of  law. 
W.  H  Robbins  sells  his  business  to  J. 
Coe.  Rev.  M.  V.  B.  White  is  seriously 
ill  fur  several  weeks,  his  pulpit  in  the 
meantime  being  supplied  by  Rev.  O.W. 
Pollard.  Eugene  Baker  purchases  the 
dwelling  of  Rev.  Montgomery.  Mr. 
Danforth  Q.  Jordan  marries  Miss  Nellie 
Hobbs.  Hon.  J.  G.  Strong,  senator, 
spends  the  winter  in  Springfield.  Wm. 
S.  Sims  and  family  move  to  Pontiac. 
Miss  Lulu  Couse  dies  at  the  age  of  18 
years.  The  grangers  attempt  to  run  a 
store  and  do  away  with  the  merchants 
and  grain  dealers  fails.  Leander  Mor- 
gan takes  charge  of  the  Spencer  farm. 
The  marriage  of  Chas.  M.  Chase  and 
Miss  Isa  H.  Weymouth  is  announced. 
The  arrivals  at  the  McPherson  for  sev- 
eral months  averaged  eighty  per  week. 
H.  A,  Kenyon  increases  the  number  of 


50 


TIISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


papers  taken  400  per  cent,  and  pub- 
lishes a  forty  page  book.  A.  L.  Leach 
opens  a  new  photographic  .studio.  An 
Old  Times  festival  is  held  at  the  resi- 
dence of  J.  G.  Strong,  supper  being 
served  up  in  old  style  dishes,  and  the 
participants  dressed  in  antique  cos- 
tumes, so  as  to  personate  several  char- 
acters of  by-gone  days.  W,  H.  Bobbins 
builds  a  store  at  the  south  end  of  East 
street.  The  Militia  Cornet  Band  and 
Amateur  Minstrels  give  entertainments 
Conrad  &  Co.  convert  their  cooper  shop 
into  a  barrel,  bucket  and  butter  tub 
factory,  putting  in  a  new  engine  and 
suitable  machinery.  Col.  R.  P.  Morgan, 
Jr.,  sell  a  quarter  interest  it  his  ele- 
vator to  the  railroad  for  $10,000.  All 
the  churches  unite  in  union  meetings, 
lasting  seven  weeks.  The  death  of  Mr, 
John  Sargent,  a  thrifty  farmer  and  well 
and  favorably  known,  occurs.  The 
principal  of  schools  reports  175  males 
and  175  females  enrolled  as  scholars, 
and  an  average  attendance  of  271 .  The 
death  of  Dr.  Morgan  is  reported.  Mr, 
Levi  Reeder  joins  Miss  Adaline  Young 
in  marriage.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  Ed- 
ward Merrill  and  Miss  Alice  C.  Dwelly 
is  also  announced.  The  coal  trade  for 
the  winter  averages  100  tons  per  day. 
C.  M,  Bakar  becomes  the  proprietor  of 
a  drug  store.  Frank  W.  Davis'  letter 
from  Cuba  appears  in  the  village  paper. 
F,  B.  Hargreaves  delivers  a  lecture  en- 
titled "Gilded  Edge.'  H.  A.  Kenyon 
has  a  long  seige  of  inflammatory  rheu- 
matism. J,  B,  Parsons  is  elected  sup- 
visor. 

1875-76, 

The  temperance  Board  were,  for  rea- 
sons easily  gathered  from  the  preceding 
chapter,  glad  to  vacate  their  seats  and 
make  room  for  those  who  had  by  a 
very  large  majority  beeu  elected  to  suc- 
ceed them.  They  had  been  asked  to 
perform  an  impossibility,  and  because 


of  their  failure  to  do  so  had  been  ex- 
posed to  the  sneers'  and  scorn  of  the 
outspoken  enemies  of  prohibition  and 
were  compelled  to  be  content  with  the 
lukewarm  and  indifferent  approval  of 
its  professed  friends,  Eugene  Baker, 
president,  R.  C.  Adams,  E.  R,  Stevens, 
Benjamin  Wait,  Horace  Cadwallader, 
and  Alex.  McKay,  trustees,  and  C.  M. 
Baker,  clerk,  were  inducted  into  office 
by  observing  the  usual  forms.  John 
Thompson  was  continued  in  the  office 
of  treasurer  and  W.  J.  M.  Stevens  in 
that  of  poundmaster,  S.  M.  AVitt  was 
appointed  marshal,  E.  Collins,  assistant 
marshal,  Robt.  Bell,  street  commission- 
er, O.  Slocum,  chief  fire  marshal,  J.  B. 
Parsons,  first  assistant  and  J,  F.  Skin- 
ner, second  assistant.  In  August  Thos. 
Weldon  succeeds  S,  M,  Witt  as  mar- 
shal. 

As  so  many  of  our  citizens  demanded 
the  licensing  of  the  sale  of  liquor,  the 
Board  proceeded  to  carry  out  their 
wishes  in  this  respect.  Saloon  licenses 
were  fixed  at  $300;  fees  for  billiard, 
bagatelle,  pigeon  hole,  pareppa  and 
similar  tables  at  $10,  Licenses  were 
granted  to  not  less  than  eight  saloons. 
This  year's  history  of  village  affairs  is 
remarkable — very  much  so  for  expendi- 
tures and  improvements.  In  no  previ- 
ous year  had  there  been  formed  plans 
for  the  benefit  of  the  public  of  such 
magnitude,  and  improvements  made 
of  such  extent  and  involving  such  an 
outlay  of  money.  They  are  startling 
when  compared  with  those  of  either 
former  or  subsequent  years.  From  the 
treasurer's  report  $10,681.70  were  paid 
into  his  hands,  and  at  the  end  of  the 
year  there  was  a  balance  on  hand  of 
only  $434.65.  which  shows  that  the 
amount  of  $10,247.05  were  paid  out  dur- 
ing the  year;  deducting  from  the  latter 
amount  $2,334.15  as  rebate  on  taxes  it 
leaves  $7,912.90  as  the  amount  actually 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLI:N0IS. 


51 


paid  on  account  of  expenses  incurred. 
Add  to  this  $1,998.00  for  bonds  and  or- 
ders issued,  which  were  reported  un- 
paid, the  sum  obtained  will  be  $9,910.90; 
deduct  from  this  $662.01  of  debts  paid 
which  had  been  contracted  by  the  pre- 
vious Board,  there  remains  $9,248.89  as 
the  total  outlay  for  the  year  for  corpor- 
ation improvements  and  expenses,  ex 
cepting  $1,092.88  paid  for  roads  and 
bridges  in  township.  To  meet  the  bonds 
and  orders  reported  by  the  finance  com- 
mittee as  outstanding,  there  were  un- 
collected lines,  delinquent  faxes  and 
cash  on  hand  in  the  aggregate  amount- 
ing to  $1,307.  The  receipts  for  saloon 
licenses  were  $2,283.30.  This  Board  is 
to  be  credited  with  several  valuable 
measures,  among  which  was  the  estab- 
lishing of  a  tire  department,  resulting 
in  the  formation  of  the  Good  Will  Fire 
Company,  and  the  Hook,  Ladder  and 
Truck  Company.  A  hook  and  ladder 
truck,  hand  engine,  several  hundred 
feet  of  hose,  hook  and  ladder  wagon, 
rdpe  hooks,  and  rope  ladder.  &c.,  were 
purchased  at  a  cost  aggregating  nearly 
$1,100  The  fine  and  commodious 
building  standing  in  the  East  Park,  and 
since  used  as  a  council  chamber,  cala- 
boose and  engine  house,  costing  about 
$1,600,  was  constructed  this  year,  and 
during  the  same  period  there  were  9,700 
feet  of  sidewalk,  thirteen  hard  wood, 
and  six  pine  crossings  built,  3,500  feet 
of  ditching  and  2,110  feet  of  grading 
done,  besides  many  other  minor  im- 
provements, such  as  new  street  lamps, 
the  procuring  and  framing  ot  the  large 
map  of  the  village,  which  now  adorns 
the  walls  of  the  City  Hall,  &c. 

This  year  Dwight  had  one  preacher 
to  every  .350  inhabitants,  one  doctor  to 
every  320,  one  lawyer  to  every  350,  and 
one  saloon  to  every  250,  showing  that  a 
higher  estimate  was  put  on  a  dram 
shop  than  either  of  the  three  profes- 


sions, and  that  the  people  then  would 
sooner  be  deprived  of  either  preacher, 
lawyer  or  doctor,  in  fact,  all  the  three, 
than  of  the  presence  of  a  saloon.  The 
standing  disgrace  and  the  blighting 
curse  of  a  grog  shop  was  not  at  that 
time  as  clearly  seen  as  now. 

Work  on  J.  C.  Hetzel's  new  residence, 
fronting  East  Park,  was  commenced; 
Dr.  L.  E.  Keeley  purchases  old  town 
house  for  $130,  to  be  moved  and  con- 
verted into  a  dwelling;  Miss  Anna 
Clark  dies  of  consumption;  the  D wight 
Guards,  in  charge  of  Capt.  J,  B.  Par- 
sons, go  to  Chicago  to  compete  for  a 
$150  banner,  to  be  awarded  to  the  best 
drilled  company;  in  boring  for  water 
Geo,  Conant  obtains  a  gas  well,  which 
discharged  sand  and  water  at  the  rate 
of  one  gallon  a  minute;  one  thousand 
persons,  it  was  estimated,  visited  this 
well  in  one  day;  Decoration  Day  was 
observed  in  West  Park  by  appropriate 
and  impressive  services  held  on  the 
afternoon  of  Sunday,  May  30;  the 
D wight  Guards  appeared  in  full  uni- 
form on  the  march  from  their  head- 
quarters, keeping  step  to  the  beat  of 
the  mufiled  drums  and  the  plaintive 
strains  of  the  Dwight  Cornet  Band;  the 
day  was  beautiful,  and  ihe  attendance 
very  large;  the  order  of  exercises  con- 
sisted of  music,  unveiling  of  the  mon- 
ument on  which  were  inscribed  the 
names  of  the  many  fallen  heroes  who 
went  into  their  country's  service  from 
Dwight  and  adjoining  towaships;  the 
reading  of  the  roll  of  honor  by  H.  A. 
Kenyon,  Esq.,  and  intensely  thrilling 
addresses  by  Revs.  M.  M,  Longley,  M. 
V.  B.  White.  C.  H.  DeLong,  and  O.  W. 
Pollard,  and  a  poem  by  W.  H.  Brad- 
bury, Esq.;  the  addresses  were  what 
the  occasion  called  for,  eloquent  trib- 
utes to  the  memory  of  the  brave  and 
patriotic  dead,  these  carefully  prepared 
orations,  as  they  were  historic  as  well 


52 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


as  eulogistic,  ought  to  have  been  pre- 
served, bat  were  not. 

The  poem  prepared  expressly  for  the 
occasion,  having  been  printed  at  the 
time,  is  now  reproduced: 

Where  Lookout  Mountain  lifts  his  head 

To  gaze  on  lovely  Tennessee, 
And  Chicamauga's  silver  thread 

Gleams  'midst  the  rugged  scenery:  - 

Where  Dallas'  Woods  grow  green  and  brown, 
Beyond  Burnt  Hickory's  fatal  plain; 

And  Kenesaw's  twin  summits  frown 
O'er  landscape  marred  with  battle-stain:— 

Where  Oostenaula's  streams  arise, 
And  Chattahoochee's  waters  lave 

Bright  banks  where  Georgia's  beauty  lies— 
The  red  mound  marks  the  soldier's  gravel 

Not  there  alone!    But  far  and  wide, 

From  fair  Virginia  to  the  West, 
Our  heroes'  life-blood  swelled  the  tide 

Poured  at  tlie  Nation's  grand  behest! 

To  them  this  monument  is  reared, 
An  emblem  of  their  scattered  graves: 

Here  let  their  memory  be  revered; 
Here  let  us  mourn  our  fallen  braves! 

These  votive  flowers  and  Emerald  wreaths. 
Bedewed  with  tears  and  fraught  with  sighs 

Are  tributes  which  the  heart  bequeaths— 
A  sweet,  yet  sacred  sacrifice. 

Let  us  rejoice  that  our  brave  boys 

Fell  not  in  ways  of  smor  crime; 
But  boldly  fighting  for  the  cause 

Of  home  and  country— death  sublime! 

The  South  wind's  fragrance— laden  sighs 
Waft  odors  from  tlie  land  of  flowers. 

Where  sleep  our  lieroes  'neath  the  skies 
Of  summer  Buns  and  vernal  showers. 

These  floral  offerings  catch  the  scent. 
And  riclier  grows  the  rare  i)erfump,— 

(In  fancy's  thought  together  bent),— 
Like  precious  sweets  of  heavenly  bloom. 

God  heal  the  wounds  of  war-worn  lands: 
The  battle-blights,  the  scars  of  strife 

Are  gently  covered  by  His  hands, 
'Till  seared  earth  glows  with  wonted  life. 

So  doth  He  also  heal  our  hearts 
With  hopes  of  heaven  beyond  the  tomb; 

The  "oil  of  joy"  for  grief  imparts,— 
"Garments  of  praise"  for  robes  of  gloom. 


"Beauty  for  ashes"  shall  be  given; 

And  fairer  flowers  and  brighter  wreaths 
ShaU  deck  the  patriot's  brow  in  Heaven 

Where  Peace  the  sword  forever  sheaths! 

Oh,  may  our  blood-bought  Union  stand! 

And  never,  never,  shall  it  fall 
While  Truth  and  Virtue  fill  the  land 

And  sweet  Keligion  binds  us  all! 

Capt,  Wm.  P.  Bartholic  and  wife  go 
to  New  Orleans;  0.  S.  Newell  and  fam- 
ily move  to  Joliet;  the  Congregational- 
ists  give  a  strawberry  festival,  the  table 
waiters  dressing  in  the  costumes  of  the 
different  nations:  Prof.  Diehl  is  re-en- 
gaged as  principal  of  the  public  schools; 
Mr.  John  A.  Gallup,  father  of  Daniel, 
Orrin  and  Ralph  Gallup,  dies,  aged 
eighty  years;  Miss  Mary  Eldredge  gives 
a  musical  concert,  which  was  pro- 
nounced an  enjoyable,  refined  and  alto- 
gether recherche  affair;  the  German 
Evangelical  church,  located  on  the  cor- 
ner 01  Deleware  and  AVashinyton 
streets,  was  completed  and  dedicated; 
the  Fourth  of  July  was  celebrated  in 
superb  style,  Hon.  J.  G.  Strong  being 
president  of  the  day,  the  Declaration'  of 
Independence  was  read  by  Miss  Franc 
McClure,  an  oration  delivered  by  Hon. 
J.  W.  Strevelle,  and  the  presentation  of 
prizes  awarded  to  the  successful  com- 
petitors in  the  various  games  was  made 
by  F.  B.  Hargreaves,  Esq.,  in  speeches 
brim-full  of  glowing  rhetoric,  wit  and 
humor;  L.  B.  Gleason,  Esq.,  ot  Good- 
farm,  passes  from  earth;  the  M.  E, 
church,  after  undergoing  repairs 
amounting  to  $1,800,  is  re-opened  with 
impressive  services,  Kev.  Briggs,  D.  D., 
of  Evanston,  delivering  the  morning 
and  evening  sermons,  assisted  by  Mr. 
Solomon  Thatcher,  of  Chicago;  this  so- 
ciety was  organized  in  June,  1855,  with 
six  members,  David  Mc Williams,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Isaac  Baker  and  Augustus 
West  being  four  of  the  number;  Mr.  H. 
A.  Gardner,  father  of  George.  Richard, 
Henry    and  James  Gardner,  and  for 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


53 


many  years  a  prominent  railroad  offi- 
cial, and  whose  family  had  for  a  long 
time  resided  one  mile  east  of  Dwight, 
comes  to  his  death  in  Chicago;  he  is 
still  remembered  for  his  public  spirit, 
great  energy  and  many  virtues;  Hugh 
Thompson  and  Horace  Cadwallader 
start  on  a  trip  to  California;  Symes,  the 
butcher,  falls  into  an  unconcious  state, 
from  which  he  fails  to  recover;  the 
Baptist  hall  is  purchased  by  O.  Slocum 
and  converted  into  a  dwelling;  Mr. 
Bradford  purchases  Mr.  Hillesheim's 
interest  in  the  firm  of  J.  C.  Hetzel  <& 
Co. ;  the  residences  of  Henry  Fox,  T.  C, 
Cook  and  O.  W.  Pollard  are  completed 
and  occupied;  Rey. Havermale becomes 
the  pastor  of  the  M.  E.  church;  the 
Western  Postal  Review,  published  by 
H.  A.  Kenyon,  postmaster,  makes  its 
appearance;  the  bank  of  J.  G,  Strong 
suspends;  John  Geis,  the  cigar  manu- 
facturer, takes  possession  of  his  new 
store;  Mrs.  Travis  and  Mrs.  Wm.  H. 
Ketcham  are  thrown  fiom  a  buggy 
while  out  for  a  pleasure  ride  and  barely 
escape  serious  injuries;  J.  M.  Baker  oc- 
cupies D.  McWilliams'  old  store,  put- 
ting in  an  assortment  of  furniture  and 
doing  the  business  of  an  undertaker; 
Rev.  Dr.  Rabe  becomes  a  resident  of 
Dwight,  and  takes  charge  of  the  Union 
Presbyterian  church;  Wm.  Estes  buys 
hardware  stock  and  business  of  J.  C. 
Hetzel;  the  Dwight  Cornet  Band  meets 
weekly  for  practice  and  favors  the  vis- 
itots  with  ravishing  music  on  many 
evenings  during  the  summer  months; 
Robt.  S.  Mcllduff,  Esq.,  marries  Miss 
Mary  J.  Paul;  in  December  the  village 
trustees  take  possession  of  the  new 
town  house;  Drs.  Andrews  and  Keeley 
amputate  limb  for  Wm.  Sharp;  the  ora- 
torio of  Esther  is  given  under  the  man- 
agement of  Prof.  Dangforth,  several 
young  gentlemen  and  ladies  of  our  vil- 
lage taking  part;  Mr.  L.  D.Coppock  and 


Miss  Phoebe  P.  Riggs  are  united  in 
marriage;  Strong  &  Strong  engage  in 
insurance  and  real  estate  business; 
Benj.  George,  brother  of  James  and 
John  George,  is  removed  by  death;  H. 
Cadwallader  buys  back  the  Farmers' 
elevator;  a  petition  signed  by  twenty- 
eight  merchants  pray  the  Board  to  pass 
an  ordinance  protecting  them  from 
traveling  auctions;  Mr.  Lorenzo  A. 
Hamlin  and  Miss  Mary  A.  Libby  lock 
arms  in  matrimony ,  the  Good  Templars 
organize;  A.  H.  Haynes  purchases  Sam 
Shiffer's  livery  and  feed  stable;  mar- 
ried, at  the  M.  E.  church,  Mr.  James  H. 
Foster  and  Miss  Hattie  L.  Slyder  and 
Mr.  Myron  Tambling  to  Miss  Emma 
Slyder,  attended  by  Miss  Franc  Mc- 
Clure  as  first  bridesmaid  and  Miss 
Tambling  as  second  bridesmaid.  Dr.  L, 
E.  Keeley  as  first  groomsman  and  Capt. 
J.  B.  Parsons  as  second  groomsman; 
James  II.  Harrison,  one  of  the  early 
settlers,  and  for  some  time  railroad 
agent,  closes  his  earthly  existence;  W. 
H.  Bobbins  sells  his  store  building  to 
Charles  Losee,  and  goes  with  his  fami- 
ly to  Fort  Scott,  Kan.;  during  the  fall 
of  this  year  our  merchants  did  a  more 
extensive  business  than  ever  before  or 
since  for  a  single  season. 
1876-77. 
The  officers  this  year  were  Eugene 
Baker,  president;  E.  R.  Stevens,  W.  A, 
Ketcham,  R.  C.  Adams,  A.  McKay  and 
William  Walker,  trustees;  C.  M.  Baker, 
clerk;  Thos.  Weldon,  marshal;  Elwell 
('ollins,special  policeman;  John  Thomp- 
son, treasurer:  F.  Rattenbury,  pound 
master;  O.  Slocum,  chief  fire  marshal; 
J.  B.  Parsons,  first  assistant  and  H.  A. 
Kenyon  second  assistant,  and  J.  I. 
Dunlap,  attorney.  Saloon  licenses  were 
fixed  at  .$300,  and  licenses  were  granted 
to  ten  in  all— making  three  times  as 
many  saloons  as  bake  shops,  and  three 
times   as    many  grog  shops  as  meat 


54 


HISTORY  OF  DAVIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


shops.  Druggist's  permits  granted  to 
C.  M.  Baker  aud  Geo.  A,  Seymour.  W. 
J,  Tait  was  employed  as  extra  police. 
The  purchase  of  a  new  hose  cart  was 
made.  The  gross  receipts  were  ^5,841.- 
48;  total  expenditures  for  all  purposes, 
$5,510.61;  received  from  saloon  li- 
censes, S2,G06.95,  and  from  fines  $114. 

In  the  marriage  institution  from 
which  comes  the  home,  lies  the  founda- 
tion of  every  benign,  prosperous  and 
stable  government.  Such  is  the  case, 
not  by  accident,  but  by  the  appointment 
of  man's  all  wise  and  benevolent  Cre- 
ator, In  this  belief,  Mr.  Robert  Mc- 
Kay and  Miss  Belle  Porter,  and  Mr. 
William  Douglas  and  Miss  Mattie  Staf- 
ford take  upon  themselves  the  marriage 
vow.  The  M.  E.  church  gives  a  Cen- 
tennial tea  party,  many  of  the  atten- 
dants dressing  in  accordance  with  ths 
fashions  prevailing  in  1776.  Prof. 
Diehl,  havH'g  managed  the  education 
of  the  youth  with  so  much  satisfaction, 
is  retained  as  principal  of  the  schools. 
David  Mc  Williams  goes  to  Baltimore, 
Md.,  on  a  six  weeks'  absence  as  a  dele- 
gate to  the  General  conference.  This 
is  the  legislative  body  of  the  M.  E. 
church,  and  to  be  made  a  member  of 
which  is  the  highest  honor  that  can  be 
conferred  upon  its  laity.  Its  sessions 
are  held  quadrennially,  at  which  time 
the  bishops,  editors,  and  missionary 
secretaries  of  this  denomination  are  ap- 
pointed, also  the  managers  of  its  great 
publishing  houses.  A  number  of  our 
citizens  visit  the  Centennial  at  Phila- 
delphia. A  juvenile  temperance  soci- 
ety is  formed.  W.  II.  Bobbins  returns 
to  Dwight.  Matthias  Shi  filer  sells  his 
property  west  of  the  Presbyterian 
cluircli  to  L.  D.  llutaii,  aud  witli  his 
son  John,  moves  to  Kansas.  An  edu- 
cational column  in  the  Dwight  Star  is 
conducted  by  Prof.  C.  F.  Diehl.  Thos. 
J.  Joluison  purchases  the  dwelling  of  J. 


D.  Ketcham.  Miss  Caroline  Chester, 
after  a  long  illness,  dies,  aged  69  years. 
The  annual  school  report  shows  465 
pupils  enrolled  for  the  year.  Mr.  Mer- 
ret  Carr  marries  Miss  Alice  Young,  and 
Mr.  George  IST.  Flagler,  Miss  Lettie 
Saltmarsh.  At  the  age  of  38  years, 
Mary  E.,  wife  of  DeWitt  Scutt,  dies. 
Orson  Potter's  family  move  to  Bloom- 
ington.  Mr.  Stephen  Morrison,  a  na- 
tive of  Maine,  and  a  resident  for  sev- 
eral years,  goes  to  "the  undiscovered 
country  from  whose  bourne  no  traveler 
returns."  A  county  Sunday  School  is 
held  in  Dwight,  J.  F.  Culver  acting  as 
its  president.  Grandmother  Dunlop, 
who  came  to  this  place  in  1857,  a  good 
woman  and  a  stunch  Presbyterian,  after 
a  pilgrimage  of  86  years,  departs  for 
her  home  on  high.  W.  H,  Ketcham 
and  Nettie,  his  daughter,  visit  the  Cen- 
tennial. A.  McKay  receives  injuries 
about  the  head,  caused  by  a  runaway 
team.  A  Hayes  and  Wheeler  club  is 
formed.  Mr,  I.  George  passes  away. 
The  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians  cele 
brate,  Daniel  Smith  puts  a  valuable 
addition  to  his  house  fronting  Prairie 
avenue.  Newell,  Judd  &  Sims  dispose 
of  their  lumber  interests  at  Poutiac. 
A.  E.  Gould  builds  a  Are  proof  store 
room  back  of  his  store,  S.  T.  K.  Prime 
becomes  campaign  reporter  for  the 
Chicago  Tribune,  The  census  of  Dwight 
is  taken,  which  shows  a  population  of 
1,400,  making  an  annual  increase  of  100 
for  several  consecutive  years.  The 
Congregational  church  undergoes  re- 
pairs. Thomas  Adams,  formerly  a  far- 
mer in  Highland,  but  at  this  time  a  res- 
ident of  R.  I.,  visits  Dwight.  Kep- 
plinger's  large  building  is  completed, 
and  his  hall  dedicated  to  the  public. 
The  10th  Battalion  meets  at  this  point 
for  a  drill,  and  goes  through  the  maneu- 
vers of  a  sham  battle  for  the  amuse- 
ment of  the  large  crowd  in  attendance, 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLIJ^OIS. 


55 


Col.  J.  B.  Parsons  comrrauder  in  chief. 
The  dwelling  of  J.  H.  Coe  is  destroyed 
by  fire.  Two  men  are  sent  to  Joliet 
for  a  term  of  years  for  attempting  to 
rob  the  store  of  McWilliams  &  Co., 
having  been  caught  in  the  act  by  the 
night  policeman,  Elwell  Collins. 

A.  E.  Harding,  Esq.,  of  Pontiac,  mar- 
ries Mrs.  Mary  E  Ilaynes,  and  H.  E. 
Windsor,  of  Marshall,  Michigan,  Miss 
Mary  Eldredge.  H,  A.  Harris  sells  his 
stock  of  goods  10  Gagahan  Bros.  Hon. 
John  A .  Logan  discusses  the  political 
situation,  and  the  Lombard  Glee  Club 
favors  the  assembled  audience  with 
campaign  songs.  Mr.  B.  A,  Buck  and 
Miss  Libbie  Estes  consent  to  pass  under 
the  matrimonial  yoke.  Mrs.  Lettie 
Banks,  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Leander 
Morgan,  dies,  having  attained  the  re- 
markable age  of  95  years.  Wm.  H. 
Amos  opens  a  new  hotel.  Mr.  DeWitt 
Scutt  marries  Miss  Maria  E.  Collins, 
and  Mr,  E.  W.  Barkle.  Miss  Bettie  Tut- 
tle.  The  name  of  S.  T.  K.  Prime  ap- 
pears as  associate  editor  of  the  Western 
Postal  lieview.  The  churches  all  join 
in  holding  union  meetings,  under  the 
direction  of  C.  M.  Morton,  Secretary  of 
the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  of  Illinois.  X  great 
religious  interest  is  awakened  and  so 
many  people  were  in  attendance  that  it 
was  found  necessary  to  hold  overflow 
meetings.  Members  of  the  churches 
were  sent  out  into  the  country  daily  to 
hold  religious  services  in  school  houses 
and  private  dwellings.  Rev.  Longly, 
Ilavermale  and  DeLong,  the  regular 
pastors,  protract  the  meeting  some 
nine  weeks  at  an  expense  of  $353,  and 
as  a  result  all  the  churches  receive  val- 
uable accessions. 

The  marriages  of  Mr.  Frank  Foltz 
and  Miss  Emma  Foster,  Mr.  Lou  Trun- 
uel  and  Miss  Maggie  McGonigal,  Mr. 
Isaac  Drew  and  Miss  Sarah  J.  John- 
son, Mr.  James  Knox  and   Miss  Mary 


Patterson  are  reported.  Mr,  S.  T,  K. 
Prime  becomes  editor  of  the  agricul- 
tural department  of  the  Chicago  Trib- 
une. Edward,  James  and  Nellie  Mc- 
Williams return  from  school  at  Evans- 
ton.  Jas.  W.  Sayers  moves  to  New 
York  state.  Mrs.  Harriet,  the  wife  of 
Capt.  Rockwell,  born  in  1890,  falls 
asleep  in  death.  John  Campbell  spends 
part  of  the  year  in  Dwight.  Edward 
McWilliams  takes  charge  of  Prime 
academy.  Misses  Nettie  and  Emma 
Ketcham  give  a  New  Year's  party,  the 
guests  numbering  thirty.  W.  J.  Tait 
is  added  to  the  police  force.  Mr.  D. 
Mason  and  Miss  Loretta  Pool  marry. 
In  the  Lighting  Bug,  a  manuscript  pa- 
per edited  by  Miss  Sarah  Snyder  about 
the  year  1861,  the  following  lines  are 
found: 

As  I  was  was  walking  out  one  clay, 

Auil  thinking  of  a  plan 
Whereby  I  might  a  process  stay, 

I  met  a  curious  man. 

His  face  was  sharp— his  eyes  were  keen— 

His  lips  were  firm  and  rigid! 
He  was  tlie  strangest  man  I'll  seen— 

He  put  me  in  a  fidget. 

"Young  man,"  the  stranger  said. 

"Tell  me— and  mind  you  tell  me  right- 
Where  lies  in  trutli  and  verity 

The  little  town  of  Dwight?" 

With  cheerfulness  I  pointed  straight 

Over  tlie  shoulder  right: 
"In  that  direction  lies  the  great 

And  growing  town  of  Dwight!" 

'The  church  and  mill's  tall  si)ires  ex))lain 

Her  upward  asi)irations; 
While  education  rears  her  fame 

For  all  denominations." 

"The  public  parks"  I  said  "denote 

The  laws  of  liealth  prevailing; 
While  medicines  and  doctors  too. 

Are  ready  for  the  ailing." 

"The  taverns  rear  their  spacious  front 

For  all  wlu)  seek  their  shelter, 
Tlie  landlords,  kind,  as  is  thoAv  wont. 

Will  treat  you  well  for  'spelter." 


56 


HISTORY  OF  D WIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


"The  stores  are  large,  and  well  filled  up 

With  everything  required; 
The  turnpike  roads,  and  l)ridges  too. 

Are  much  to  be  admired. " 

"Hold!  Stop!"    says  he,  "I've  heard  enough; 

I've  been  a  luckless  wight; 
I've  struggled  long  thro'  smooth  and  rough; 

But  now  I'll  stop  at  Dwight. " 

"This  is  the  place  where  enterprise 

Expends  and  is  repaid; 
Where  business  grows  and  morals  rise, 

And  scliools  are  ready  made." 

"What  tho'  times  have  been  hard  and  dull. 

And  things  have  not  gone  right; 
The  season's  bounteous  lap  is  full 

Of  blessings  for  your  Dwight.'' 

He  ceased.    I  pressed  with  warmth  his  hand 

And  said:  "I  think  you're  right; 
You  never  will  regret  the  stand 

That  you  will  make  at  Dwight." 

Mr.  Walbridge  and  Miss  Jennie  E. 
Ray  take  upon  themselves  the  marriage 
obligations,  likewise  Freemonr,  Vick- 
ery  and  Miss  Nettie  Johnson;  also  Mr. 
John  Turnbaugh  and  Miss  Mary  Vir- 
ginia Springer.  John  Yickery  meets 
with  an  accident,  by  which  some  in- 
juries were  received.  The  Brass  farm 
of  640  acres  is  sold  to  Mr.  Davis,  of 
Henry,  for  .$18,000.  Mr.  W.  J.  Thack- 
ery  and  Miss  Nanna  A.  Foster,  Mr.  J. 
J.  Knudsen  and  Miss  Bine  C.  Mahler 
(Dewy,)  Mr.  Chauncey  Keck  and  Miss 
Adelaide  Cornell,  Mr.  Zane  Turner  and 
Miss  Mary  Burkhart  are  married.  The 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  organize,  and  under  the 
auspices  of  the  same,  Hon.  Schuyler 
Colfax  lectures.  Rev.  C.  11.  DeLong 
preaches  his  farewell  sermon,  and 
severs  his  relation  with  the  Presbyter- 
ian church.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  Bradford 
celebrate  their  china  wedding.  E,  T. 
Miller  purchases  an  interest  in  the  bus- 
iness of  Henry  Eldredge.  The  death 
of  Charles  S.  Newell  occurs  April  9, 
1877,  and  resolutions  of  respect  were 
passed  by  the  village  Board  and  spread 
upon    its   record.    He  having  been  a 


trustee  for  several  terms,  and  was  quite 
prominent  in  town  affairs. 
1877-78. 

As  indicated  in  the  last  chapter  the 
license  party  had  ceased  to  be  a  unit. 
Some  of  its  members,  as  the  year  before 
insisted  upon  a  high  license  and  few 
saloons  as  the  only  method  by  which 
liqaor  traffic  could  be  relieved  of  its 
objectionable  and  offensive  features  and 
made  respectable.  Others  denounced 
what  they  were  pleased  to  term  a  liq- 
uor monopoly,  a  wealthy  saloon  aris- 
tocracy, and  contended  with  equal  per- 
sistency for  a  low  license  and  for  the 
granting  of  the  same  to  any  and  all 
wished  to  deal  in  ardent  spirits.  The 
only  issue  at  this  spring's  election  was 
whether  a  high  or  low  license  Board 
should  be  put  in  power.  A  thorough 
canvass  was  made  by  each  faction  and 
nearly  the  whole  vote  of  the  corporation 
was  obtained,  there  being  243  votes 
polled.  The  fact  that  seven  thousand 
ballots  were  printed  shows  that  a  vig- 
orous fight  was  arranged  for.  It  de- 
volved upon  Eugene  Baker,  president, 
and  A.  McKay,  W.  H.  Ketcham,  Henry 
Fox,  O.  Slocum,  Chas.  Crandall,  trus- 
tees, to  bear  the  burden  of  administrat- 
ing the  affairs  of  the  village  for  this 
year,  and  upon  C.  M.  Baker  as  clerk  to 
record  the  doings  of  the  Board.  To 
Wm.  M.  Stitt  was  given  the  office  of 
marshal,  H.  Eldredge  that  of  treasurer, 
Levi  Wood  was  appointed  poundmas- 
ter  and  F.  B.  Hargreaves  as  village  at- 
torney. The  names  of  John  Shifter,  E. 
Collins  and  Ab.  Potter  appear  as  bav- 
in served  some  portion  of  the  year  as 
night  police.  The  election  returns 
show  tnat  James  Mclldutt"  was  re- 
elected to  the  office  of  police  magis- 
trate. 

At  no  time  have  our  people  been  so 
completely  given  up  to  the  strange  de- 
lusion that   the   sale   of  intoxicating 


James  Kelaaher. 


Walter  M.  Weese. 


George  L.  Kern. 


E.  T.  Miller. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


beverages  was  indespensable  to  the 
growth  of  the  town,  and  that  its  pros- 
perity would  always  be  increased  in 
proportion  to  the  number  of  saloons 
that  could  be  maintained.  It  was  hon- 
estly supposed  that  the  liquor  traffic 
in  so  many  hands  was  sure  to  draw  an 
immense  trade  that  would  enrich  the 
merchants  and  make  Dwight  a  lively 
and  thriving  place.  Every  well  wisher 
of  the  town's  present  and  future  wel- 
fare should,  it  was  urged,  by  his  vote, 
if  he  had  one,  legalize  the  dramshop 
business  and  by  his  voice,  pen  and  in- 
fluence, seek  to  encourage  and  foster 
it.  Some  fancied,  because  of  the  pres- 
ence ofeleven  saloons,  that  our  great- 
ness was  assured  and  that  we  ought  to 
proceed  herewith  and  annul  our  vil 
lage  charter  and  organize  as  a  city,  dis 
tricting  the  town  into  wards  and  elect- 
ing a  bona  fide  mayor  and  aldermanic 
council.  An  election  was  ordered  for 
Tuesday,  Oct.  l,and  two  sets  ot  ballots 
were  prepared,  one  for  and  the  other 
against  a  city  organization.  Twenty 
citizens  said  by  their  votes,  let  there  be 
a  change  in  our  governmental  machin- 
ery, and  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight 
said  the  present  organization  was  good 
enough. 

This  Board  passed  an  ordinance  tax- 
ing dogs  one  dollar  per  year,  and  one 
requiring  all  male  citizens  twenty  years 
old  and  under  fifty,  paupers  and  idiots 
excepted,  to  labor  on  streets  and  alleys 
three  days  or  pay  in  lieu  thereof  one 
dollar  per  day;  also  one  providing  for 
the  payment  of  the  fire  company  for 
drilling  and  keeping  the  fire  apparatus 
in  good  condition.  Shirts,  belts  and 
uniforms  were  purchased  for  the  fire- 
men and  a  triangular  fire  alarm  was 
mounted  on  a  frame  in  the  rear  of  the 
town  house.  This  Board  passed  a  com- 
pensating ordinance,  which  allowed 
each  trustee  $2  for  every  regular  meet- 


ing attended.  The  repairing  of  the 
building  of  H.  Cornell,  partially  torn 
down  to  stop  the  progress  of  the  great 
fire  on  West  street,  was  authorized. 
The  receipts  for  fines  were  $69,  and 
those  for  licenses  were  $2,597.50.  The 
fiscal  statement  puts  the  expenditures 
at  .$5,510.61. 

During  the  municipal  year  the  fol- 
lowing marriages  were  published:  Mr. 
J.  AV.  Watkins  to  Miss  Emma  C.  Paul; 
Mr.  rhas.  M.  Cyrus  to  Miss  Columbia 
V  Frame;  Mr,  Roger  Mills  to  Miss 
Sarah  Burns;  Mr.  Frank  Brubaker  to 
Miss  Nettie  Scutt;  Mr.  Edwin  C.  Kirk- 
endall  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Cornell;  Mr. 
Alfred  N.  Chariton  to  Miss  Georgia  A. 
Boardraan;  Mr.  Theodore  Lessor  to 
Miss  Kate  Patterson;  Mr.  Samuel 
Thompson  to  Miss  Eliza  J,  Wiley;  Mr, 
John  Darman  to  Miss  Mary  Congdon; 
Mr .  Conrad  Semental  to  Miss  Christena 
Hahn;  Mr.  Orville  M.  Butterfield  to 
Miss  Lydia  Susie  Bell. 

The  deaths  reported  were  Mrs.  Eliza 
Comissiong,  aged  sixty-two  years;  Mrs. 
Ward  Kenyon,  aged  thirty-one;  Mrs. 
Lucy  A.  Kenyon,  aged  thirty-three; 
David  Barton,  aged  sixty-three;  Mrs, 
R.  P.  Morgan,  Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Turn- 
baugh,  aged  fifty-one:  Wm.  Morris, 
aged  sixtv;  John  W.  Dunlop,  aged  fifty- 
three;  .John  B.  Monahan,  aged  forty- 
two;  Margaret  Heinan. 

The  building  of  L.  D,  Rutan,  occu- 
pied by  Gahagan  Brothers,  the  millinery 
establishment  of  Mrs.  H.  Cornell,  the 
Clifton  Hotel,  occunied  by  O.  Lee,  and 
other  wooaen  structures  were  destroyed 
by  fire.  At  a  military  festival  a  sword 
is  voted  to  Major  C.  J.  Judd  as  a  rec- 
ognition of  his  soldierly  qualities,  a 
parasol  to  Miss  Nellie  Hibbard  as  the 
handsomest  woman  present,  a  chromo 
to  Miss  Emma  Strong  as  having  the 
best  arranged  table,  and  a  cane  to  C.  L. 
Palmer  as  the  handsomest  man,  presen- 


58 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


tation  speeches  were  made  respectively 
by  H.  A.  Kenyon,  J.  G.  Strong,  and 
W.  H.  Bradbury.  The  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
hold  meetinsfs  every  Sunday.  The  name 
of  the  Dwight  Guards  is  changed  to 
that  of  Parsons  Guards.  The  .Dwight 
Star  enters  upon  its  tenth  year.  Mrs. 
C.  S.  Newell  returns  to  this  place.  The 
Dwight  Commercial,  edited  by  C.  M. 
Cyrus,  enters  the  field  as  the  compet- 
itor of  the  Dwight  Star.  The  Adams 
Cornet  Band  gives  open  air  concerts. 
Col.  J.  B.  Parsons  celebrates  his  thirty- 
eighth  birthday  anniversary,  the  Par- 
sons Guards,  Dwight  Fire  Company, 
Renfrew  Hose  Company,  Hook  and 
Ladder  Company,  Adams  Cornet  Band, 
and  the  City  Council  participating,  and 
all  East  street  being  illuminated  in  the 
evening.  Father  Hanley  bids  adieu  to 
his  people.  Thomas  Flaherty  seeks  a 
place  of  business  elsewhere.  The  Par- 
sons Guards  are  ordered  to  ]3raidwood 
to  assist  in  quelling  a  riot.  Rev.  M.M. 
Longly,  pastor  of  the  Congregational 
church,  preaches  his  farewell  sermon. 
This  society  organized  with  eleven 
members  in  1866,  and  at  this  time  en- 
rolled 115  members.  The  Cemetery 
Association  is  formed,  with  H.  A.  Ken- 
yon as  president.  The  Salem  church, 
four  miles  north,  is  dedicated.  Rev. 
Rogers  is  called  to  be  pastor  of  the  Con- 
gregational church.  TheY.  M.  C.  A. 
lease  the  Good  Templars'  hall  for  the 
winter.  Miss  Anna  Kenyon  is  present- 
ed with  a  gold  cross,  set  witli  pearls,  as 
a  token  of  appreciation  of  her  services 
as  organist  of  the  Congregational  Soci- 
ety. Spencer  Eldredge  rents  the  big 
elevator,  and  engages  in  the  grain  bus- 
iness. William  Walker's  planing  mill 
is  destroyed  by  lire.  Daniel  Gallup  sells 
his  milk  business  to  Isaac  Austin.  The 
remains  of  Samuel  V.  Vickery  are 
brought  from  Kansas  and  buried  in  the 
new  cemetery,  his  body  being  the  first 


interred  there.  Daniel  Gallup  removes 
to  Cambridge,  Md.  The  Dwight  Star 
for  tlie  ninth  time  appears  in  a  new 
dress.  J.  P.  Chase  rents  his  farm  and 
moves  to  Chicago.  Xels  Mickleson 
opens  a  grocery  store  near  Iletzel's 
building.  The  Methodists  give  their 
pastor,  Rev.  E.  P.  Hall,  a  surprise  par- 
ty, leaving  $73.  S.  M,  Witt  is  presented 
with  an  elegant  silver  watch  and  chain 
by  the  Hook  and  Ladder  Company. 
The  temperance  wave  strikes  Dwight. 
R.  W.  Crampton  is  engaged  to  deliver 
several  temperance  lectures.  George 
Woodford,  of  Pontiac,  visits  our  com- 
munity, and  by  his  public  appeals  and 
personal  efforts  succeeds  in  inducing 
seventy-five  drinking  men  to  reform. 
These,  headed  by  a  brass  band,  march 
to  the  M.  E.  church,  where  an  enthusi 
•  astic  meeting  is  held.  The  Dwight  Re- 
form Club  is  organized  with  Eugene 
Baker  president,  D.  McWilliams  treas- 
urer. Rev.  Rogers,  chaplain,  H.  A.  Ken- 
yon, C.  J.  Judd  and  others  executive 
committee,  Henry  Fox  and  others,  fi- 
nance committee.  During  this  great 
temperance  revival  more  tlian  800  sign 
the  temperance  pledge.  A.  L.  Thomp- 
son moyes  to  .:5teel  City,  Neb.  A  tem- 
perance lunch  room  is  opened  in  Mc- 
Williams' old  store,  conducted  by  F.  M. 
Chambers.  The  drama  "Saved"  is  pre- 
sented in  Kepplinger's  hall  by  the  Pon- 
tiac Dramatic  Club,  our  ladies  giving 
the  members  of  the  club  a  banquet. 

The  Reform  Club  seek  to  purchase  a 
library  and  establish  a  reading  room, 
nearly  $500  being  subscribed  for  that 
purpose.  The  brick  stores,  with  halls 
and  offices  above,  of  Miller  Bros,  and 
D.  McWilliams  are  commenced.  Rev. 
Omalvena  closes  his  labors  with  the 
Presbyterian  church.  An  anti-tobacco 
society  is  formed,  with  Rev.  E.  P.  Hall 
president,  and  S.  M.  Witt  vice-president. 
The  Reform  Club  rent  D.  McWilliams' 


IIISTOUY  OF  DWiGIlT.  1LL1:N01S. 


59 


hall,  and  purchase  fifteen  dozen  chairs; 
its  meetings  are  made  very  interesting, 
and  all  are  attended  by  large  numbers. 
1878-79. 
As  the  time  of  the  annual  election  of 
the  village  trustees  drew  near  it  became 
difficult  to  predict  with  any  certainity 
who  the  successful  candidates  would 
be.  There  were  three  tickets,  titled 
respectively  "anti-license,''  "'people's" 
and  "workingmen's,"  the  last  two  rep- 
resenting the  factions  into  which  the 
lic-nse  party  had  become  divided.  The 
winners  for  municipal  honors  were  E. 
R,  Stevens,  Jno.  Thompson,  R.  C. 
Adams,  W.  H.  Ketcham,  Wm.  Walker 
and  J.  C.  George.  The  new  Board  or- 
ganize by  making  ^ohn  Thompson 
president.  It  fell  to  the  lot  of  C.  M. 
]5aker  to  see  that  the  records  were 
properly  kept.  Wm.  M.  Stitt  was  chosen 
marshal,  and  Ab.  Potter  night  police. 
A.  McKay,  by  the  authority  of  the 
Board,  assumed  the  responsibility  of 
receivmg  and  disbursing  the  village 
funds.  The  title  of  chief  tire  marshal 
was  conferred  upon  K.  S.  Sedgwick  and 
that  of  tirst  assistant  upon  J.  B,  Par- 
sous  and  second  assistant  upon  H.  A, 
Kenyon.  Two  petitions,  signed  by  la- 
dies and  children,  were  presented  to  the 
Board,  one  praying  that  no  saloon  li 
censes  be  granted,  and  that  no  billiard 
or  pool  table  be  authorized.  Both  of 
these  petitions  were  summarily  laid 
upon  the  table.  For  this  action  some 
were  disposed  to  censure  the  Board  in 
unmeasured  terms;  but  not  with  much 
reason  for  so  doing.  These  trustees 
represented  a  constituency,  and  this 
constituency  favored  the  licensing  of 
saloons  and  gaming  tables.  They,  by 
refusing  to  grant  the  prayer  of  these 
well  meaning  and  conscientious  women 
and  children,  simply  carried  out  the 
wishes  of  a  majority  of  the  voters  and 
those  to  whom  they  were  indebted  for 


their  election  as  trustees.  This  action 
of  itself  was  no  disrespect  lo  the  pe- 
titioners, especially  as  it  was  known  that 
the  members  of  the  Board  were  not  ex- 
pected to  do  anything  of  the  kind  and 
were  not  personally  in  sympathy  with 
the  movement  to  either  prohibit  the 
sale  of  liquors  or  the  operation  of  such 
tables  as  were  named  in  the  petitions. 
It  would  have  been,  however,  wise  and 
much  more  respectful,  to  have  voiced 
a  refusal  to  grant  the  requests  made  in 
polite  and  suitable  language  instead  of 
tabling  the  petition  in  such  an  uncere- 
monious manner. 

During  this  administration  the  fine 
iron  bridge  spanning  the  creek  at  the 
East  side  school  house  was  built.  The 
records  show  nothing  more  outside  of 
the  usual  routine  of  business.  The  ex- 
penditures are  placed  at  S4,2H3.03.    • 

The  year  of  Dwight  under  considera- 
tion was  in  several  respects  one  of  the 
happiest  aid  brightest  in  its  history, 
Al  no  time  has  there  been  such  an  ef- 
fort to  break  the  usual  distressing 
monotony  of  village  life  by  the  multi- 
pllcdlion  of  social  gatherings  and  the 
preparation  of  numerous  public  enter- 
tainments. The  Good  Templars'  or- 
ganization, connected  with  which  were 
many  choice  young  men  and  women, 
was  in  a  very  prosperous  condition. 
The  Bed  Ribbcn  Club,  then  in  a  highly 
flourishing  state,  had  a  large  member- 
ship, among  which  were  skillful  musi- 
cians, poets,  able  writers  of  prose,  am- 
ateur dramatists  and  actors,  accom- 
plished readers  and  entertaining 
speakers.  The  Friday  night  literary 
exercises  given  in  the  hall  of  the  Re- 
form Club  and  On  special  occasions  in 
that  of  Good  Templars'  will  never  be 
forgotten  by  those  that  attended  them 
Amusing,  delightfully  entertaining, 
and  of  an  elevated  and  elevating  tone, 
tlieir  beautiful  effects  and  influence  for 


60 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


good  can  hardly  be  estimated.  They 
served  an  excellent  purpose  in  develop- 
ing and  utilizing  for  the  good  of  the 
public  the  more  than  ordinary  talent 
which  has  never  been  the  good  fortune 
of  Dwight  to  possess.  These  were  green 
oases  in  the  dreary  march  of  life.  They 
were  looked  forward  to  with  delight, 
and  they  are  now  looked  back  to  as  the 
most  pleasant  episodes  of  the  life  spent 
in  the  little  prairie  town,  whose  history 
is  well  worth  preserving,  because  of 
the  noble  spirits  who  have  participated 
in  its  affairs.  It  would  be  a  delightful 
service  to  put  in  the  way  of  republica- 
tion the  many  literary  gems  prepared 
for  the  entertainments  referred  to  and 
other  occasions  belonging  to  this  year. 
The  necessity  of  hydraulic  condensation 
in  preparing  these  chapters  forbids  it. 
Room,  however,  will  be  given  for  a 
few.  Those  of  Wm.  H.  Bradbury,  the 
poet  laureate  of  Dwight,  are  too  good 
to  be  lost.  Below  will  be  found  his 
poem  entitled  "The  Tide  of  Bloom:" 

From  the  tropical  climes,  rich  in  boundless  pro- 
fusion 
Of  color  and  verdure  and  sweet  i)erf  ume, 
Sweeps  up  toward  the  north  with  a  welcome  in- 
trusion, 
The  freshet  of  flowers— the  great  tide  of  bloom  1 

Led  on  by  the  sun,  like  the  waters  of  ocean, 
It  joyfully  follows  its  God  in  its  course; 

Ihro'  the  higher  zones  circling  in  fragrant  de- 
votion. 
Now  creeping  in  softness— now  rolling  in  force. 

Upward  and  onward,  with  colors  all  glowing. 
The  blooming  tide  tumbles  o'er  orchard  and 
lea; 
And  out  In  advance  is  the  dashing  spray  throw- 
ing 
A  beautiful  robe  o'er  the  naked  peach  tree. 

While  northward  away!  are  the  early  tints  trend- 
ing. 
Here  fuller  and  richer  the  young    blossoms 
shine; 
The   almond  Uowers  clustering  round  slender 
boughs  bending. 
And  delicate  lilacs  of  fragrance  divine! 


The  hyacinths,  tulips  and  bleeding  hearts  fol- 
low— 
And  drink  from  the  current  their  own  vivid 
hues. 
As  warmer  streams  shoot  from  each  valley  and 
hollow, 
And  purple  and  yellow  and  crimson  diffuse. 

As  the  sun  beckons  on,— mounting  higher  and 

higher, 
The  floral  tide  deepens  in  color  and  tone; 
'Till  the  laughing  land,  decked  in  her  gorgeous 

attire. 
Flames  forth  as  the  bride  of  the  tropical  zone. 

Carnations  and  pansles,  and  llllles  and  roses,— 
Verbenas,  sweet-williams  and  peonies  red,— 

Steeped  in  the  bloomy  flood,  each  flower   dis- 
closes 
Its  beauty  and  fragrance— so  soon  to  be  shed . 

With  the  sun  at  Its  highest,  the  tide  at  its  turn- 
ing. 

Sweet-peas  and  tube-roses  exhaling  perfume, 
And  scarlet  and  crimson  in  dark  bushes  burning. 

And  gardens  aflame,  mark  the  zenith  of  bloom 

The  gay  gladiolus,  with  ruddy  sword  waving 
O'er  rich  portulances  of  carmine  and  eold, 
In  the  high  flood  of  summer  their  petals  now 
laving, 
Suffused  with  deep  color,  their  brilliance  un- 
fold. 
But  the  ebbing  tide  tells  toward  the  end  of  Seiv 
tember 
The  tale  of  lost  beauty  too  soon  on  the  wane; 
Yet  asters  and  zenias  may  bid  us  remember 
The  brightness  of  summer,  lamented  in  vain. 

While  the  tide's  at  the  flow  let  us  seize  on  the 
treasure. 
Enjoy  Its  rare  colors  and  richest  perfume; 
The  beaufy  of  nature  was  made  for  our  pleasure. 
How  thankful  we  are  for  the  great  "Tide  of 
Bloom." 

Dwight  was  then  favored  with  an 
organization  of  the  Woman's  Christian 
Temperance  Union,  also  a  juvenile  so- 
ciety, both  of  which  held  their  meetings 
in  Red  Ribbon  hall. 

The  Reform  Club  purchase  a  piano . 
A.  Dernbach  occupies  his  new  barber 
shop  on  West  street.  S.  T.  K.  Prime 
reports  the  condition  of  crops  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  country  for  the  benefit 
of  the  readers  of  the  Dwight  Star.  Wm. 
Scully,  the  great  Irish  land  owner,  visits 
this  place.    Joe  Mason,  a  grand  good 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


HI 


fellow,  leaves  the  employ  of  A.  E. 
Gould  and  seeks  a  situation  elsewhere. 
The  Parsons  Guards  appear  in  new 
uniform,  consisting-  of  light  blue 
pants,  dark  blue  blouse  and  cap.  The 
Red  Ribbon  Club  elects  a  detective 
committee  for  the  purpose  of  prosecut- 
ing saloon  keepers  who  sell  to  minors 
or  persons  while  in  an  intoxicated  con- 
diton.  Several  were  detected,  found 
guilty  and  fined.  The  Congregational 
society  make  great  preparations  for  a 
Fourth  uf  July  festival  and  literary 
entertainment,  occupying  the  halls  of 
the  Reform  Club  and  several  oHices 
on  the  same  lioor,  the  latter  were 
converted  into  a  temporary  art  gal- 
lery. Eloquent  addresses  were  de- 
livered by  C.  L.  Palmer,  11.  B.  Har- 
greaves  and  others,  which  were  pub- 
lished afterward.  On  this  occasion 
Miss  Anna  Kenyon,  the  church  organ- 
ist, was  presented  with  a  rocking 
chair  and  three  tidies  of  patch  work 
composed  of  ninety  blocks,  on  each 
of  which  was  the  name  of  some  lady 
member  of  the  society.  Rev.  Rogers 
makes  the  presentation  speech  and 
H.  A.  Kenyon  responds.  The  p6em  of 
Wm.  11.  Bradburj,  read  on  this  occa- 
sion, many  will  be  glad  to  see  in  type 
again:  ^ 

DWIGHT  IN   1928. 

Dropped  from  above  by  the  big  balloon 
Tliat  rushes  by  each  afternoon, 
A  stranger  came  from  a  distant  land; 
His  hair  was  bleached  and  his  face  was  tanned, 
At  tlie  City  Hotel  he  touched  a  spring 
Wliich  wrote  his  name  in  a  twinl<le-ing. 
A  glance  at  the  open  register's  date 
Sliowed  Nineteen  Hundred  and  Twenty-eight. 
And  now  you'll  wait  awliile  before 
I'll  tell  you  the  name  the  stranger  bore— 
For  I  didn't  loolc  at  tlie  book  very  close; 
It  was  not  good  manners,  just  under  his  nose. 

After  dinner  lie  sat  in  liis  clialr, 
And  picked  his  teetli  with  an  anxious  air. 
"What  a  conductor,"  muttered  the  man; 
"1  wanted  to  go  to  IJloomington, 


But  he  dropped  me  here,  did  the  young  galoot. 
And  sent  me  down  In  a  parachute. 
I  thought  I  was  nearing  a  forest  of  trees. 
And  never  expected  streets  like  these; 
And  such  big  buildings— I  can't  tell  'em, 
Hid  by  the  cotton  wood,  maple  and  ellum." 

All  looked  strange, but  still  there  were 
Tokens  of  things  familiar. 
"This  can't  be  Dwiglit!"  at  length  he  cried; 
"That's  what  tliey  call  it,"  quick  replied 
Tlie  host,  who  smiled  as  Landlords  do, 
As  he  marked  tlie  room  Two  hundred  and  two. 
"AVell!"  said  the  guest,  "I  once  lived  here, 
In  times  gone  by,  full  fifty  year. 
Then  I  was  young  and  spry,  and  gay. 
Now  I  am  old  and  turning  gray. 
Nobody  knows  me,  but  I  once  knew 
Lots  of  men  here."    The  landlord  grew 
Quite  interested,  and  he  said: 
"Tlie  men  you  knew  are  probably  dead. 
Cliarley  Stafford— A  fat  old  person— 
Once  kept  this  liouse,  then  called  the  McPher- 

son. 
A  merchant  owned  it— a  rich  old  chap 
Whose  property  covered  half  the  map 
Of  what  was  known  as  the  village  once. 
(He  always  watched  for  the  main  chance,) 
He  left  to  the  church  several  millions. 
And  the  Methodists  called  him  'Saint  McWil- 

liams . ' 

Gould,  Hetzel  and  Eldredge  followed  suit: 
Plodding  merchants  of  good  repute. 
About  Dr.  Keeley?  tlie  actual  fact  is 
That  lie  got  rich  on  his  country  practice. 
I  knew  him  well  1    By  the  old  stone  mill 
He  grew  quite  fat,  and  never  was  ill." 
"Enough  of  him!"  said  the  stranger  guest. 
"Tell  us  something  about  the  re-St, 
.ludd  and  Parsons  and  Strong  and  Brad., 
Bakers  and  Thompsons  and  Kenyon  and  Cad." 
"Well!  (ieneral  Parsons  of  the  millish 
Kept  his  command  in  good  condish; 
But  he  lost  his  life  in  a  Commune  riot. 
Since  which  he's  been  remarkably  ([uiet. 
His  name  appears  in  the  Patriot's  list- 
Brave  boy,  was  .Jim!  and  very  much  missed. 
Major  .Judd  married  a  prim  old  maid 
Wlio  brushed  his  clothes  and  combed  his  head. 
Of  this  great  State  he  was  Adjutant  General. 
And  all  the  trooi)s  here  went  down  to  his  fu- 
neral. 

Strong  grew  rich  and  jolly  again. 
And  died  a  stout  old  congressman . 
Brad,  wrote  poetry  more  and  more. 
And  got  to  be  a  terrible  bore; 
Died  of  Astronomy  on  the  brain— 
•His  loss  was  i>\ir  eternal  gain!' 


G2 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


Postofflce  KenyoD  kept  that  place 
And  always  won  the  political  race. 
Cad.  went  west  for  change  of  air, 
And  died  a  Kansas  millionaire. 
Bakers  and  Thompsons  spread  all  over. 
Children  and  g-rand-children  thick  as  clover. 
Palmer,  the  printer,  went  last  week; 
Died  of  enlargement  of  the  cheek, 
Which  began  growing  in  early  youth- - 
Plain  to  all  but  himself,  forsooth!" 

"Give  us  a  rest,"  said  the  man;  "1  think 
It  is  just  about  time  to  take  a  drink . " 
"No  liquors  now  for  inhibition. 
We're  living  under  Prohibition 
To  distil  or  not;  that  was  the  question 
Decided  at  last  fall  election . 
None  to  be  made  or  sold  or  drank. 
For  all  of  which  we  have  to  thank 
The  Red  Ribbon  flag  that's  now  unfurled 
O'er  the  soberest  country  in  all  the  world.  ' 
The  guest,  disguised,  turned  his  eyes. 
And  saw  some  bottles  with  surprise. 
"Oh,"  said  the  landlord,  with  a  laugh, 
"That's  nothing  but  our  Phonograph; 
The  bottled  talk  of  great  men  gone,— 
Sweet  souvenirs!    Shall  I  open  one?" 
He  drew  the  cork  and  it  went  round; 
Forth  from  the  inside  came  a  sound- 
Rapid  and  rasping— as  Ions  as  he'd  let  it. 
"That's  what  I'm  telling  you;  don't  you  forget 

it!" 
Have  I  no  rights  here?  that's  what  I  meant; 
Royal  old  rooster!— don't  care  a  cent. 
"Hold!"  said  the  guest.    "That's  our  friend  Joe, 
I've  heard  of  him  oft— he  wasn't  slow!" 
The  landlord  then,  with  purpose  cniel, 
Opened  a  bottle  marked  Neilsen  &  Newell. 
O'ercome  with  memories  the  guest  shed  tears, 
Rushed  from  the  room  and  stopped  his  ears, 
A  bottle  of  "Lewis"  lay  up  on  the  rack, 
Beady  for  use  when  he  got  back. 

After  supper  he  strolled  around 
And  viewed  the  once  familiar  ground. 
The  mill  was  mossy  with  decay, 
And  dwarfed  liy  buildings  tall  and  gay. 
The  "Strips"  were  parks  with  iron  gates. 
The  railroads  ran  not  a  train  but  "freights" 
For  passenger  trafflc  went  by  balloon, 
Night  and  morning  and  afternoon. 
Large  as  cathedrals  loomed  the  churches. 
With  grand  and  towers  and  spacious  porches. 

Oaklawn  Ciroimds  were  green  and  sweet. 
Offering  a  calm  and  cool  retreat. 
Distance  a  mile  from  the  city  limits, 
Time  by  the  air  car,  just  three  minutes. 
Here,  midst  the  fragrance  of  flowers  rare 
Slabs  and  obelisks  pierced  the  air. 


Former  inhabitants  all  were  there. 
Sleeping  beneath  the  solemn  trees, 
'Till  God  shall  show  them  His  mysteries! 
Town  Boards,  School  Boards,  Supervisors. 
Profligate  and  stingy  iliisers; 
Lazy  folks  and  early  risers ; 
Mother  and  daughter,  father  and  son, 
Gathered  together,  one  by  one ! 
Epitaphs  gave  of  the  dead  below 
List  of  virtues  set  up  for  show. 
Phonographs  treasured  the  precious  tones 
Of  old  John  Smith  and  young  Bill  Jones. 
Photographs  shown  on  the  face  of  each  tomb. 
Glowing  with  faces  of  life  like  bloom. 
Said  the  guest,  quoting  against  his  will, 
"The  dead,  the  dead,  are  living  still." 

He  saw  his  relations  scattered  around 
In  every  part  of  the  burial  ground . 
Sabbath  School  teachers  of  goodness  and  truth. 
And  Pollard  the  faithful  old  friend  of  Youth, 
Playmates  of  childhood,  all  dead  long  ago: 
Lay  xmder  the  grass  where  the  roses  blow. 
He  thought  of  them,  and  of  by-gone  years, 
And  his  heart  dissolved  in  a  flood  of  tears. 

Hastening  back  to  the  City  Hotel, 
He  asked  the  amount  of  his  little  bill- 
"Now,"  said  he,  "Landlord,  here's  your  money; 
Put  your  mouth  to  the  telephunny. 
And  tell  the  night  watchman  to  check  the  bal- 
loon up, 
And  I'll  start  off  as  soon  as  its  moon  up. " 
He  mounted  the  tower  for  his  midnight  trip. 
And  soon  was  scooped  by  the  big  air  ship. 
I  looked  at  his  name  in  the  book  again, 
And  read  "Bones  Thompson,  from  Japan." 

George  Woodruff,  the  father  of  the 
Eed  Ribbon  Club,  delivers  an  address. 
Nathan  Raker  and  wife  make  a  trip  to 
Ohio  and  Pennsylvania.  Rev.  Mont- 
gomery spends  a  Sunday  with  liis  old 
parishoners.  Mr.  Carl  Miller  marries 
Miss  Delia  Hainsfurther.  Meetings 
are  held  and  entertainments  given  in 
behalf  of  yellow  fever  sufferers.  244 
kegs  of  beer  are  shipped  into  this  place 
during  the  month  of  August  by  saloon 
keepers.  Mr.  George  K.  Chase  marries 
Miss  Ella  E.  Buel.  R.  Gallup  and  fam- 
ily return  from  their  visit  to  the  east 
shore  of  Maryland.  The  marriage  of 
Mr.  AI.  T.  Jones  and  Miss  Mary  Wil- 
liams occurs.  Mrs.  J.  M.  Baker  is 
struck  by  the  engine  of  an  incoming 


II 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


63 


train,  resulting  in  lier  death.  Horace 
Cadwallader,  at  32  years  of  age,  dies  at 
Sterling,  Kan.,  where  he  had  gone  in 
search  of  health.  He  was  a  man  of 
sterling  integrity,  fine  business  qualifi- 
cations, and  highly  esteemed  by  all  who 
knew  him. 

A.  Course  dies  at  Salina,     Kansas, 
being  48  years  of  age.     He  was  former- 
ly a  resident  of  our  village.    Rev.  B.  F. 
Tallman  becomes  pastor  of  the  M.  E. 
ciiurcli.      Sixty    bodies    are    removed 
from    the    old  cemetery   to   Oaklawn. 
Mr.  tl.  E.  Good  and  Miss  Lizzie  Alli- 
son are  joined  in  wedlock.    Mrs.  Eva 
Maria  Hahn,  mother  of  G.   M    Hahn, 
passes  into  the  beyond.    H.  A.  Kenyon, 
postmaster,  occupies  new  rooms  in  the 
new  brick  building  on  East  street.    C 
.].  J  add  writes  from  Fueblo,  Colorado, 
several  instructive  and  interesting  let- 
ters for  the  Star.    The  Exchange  Bank, 
now  Bank  of  Dwight,  takes  possession 
of  new  quarters.  The  remains  of  Frank 
AV.  Davis,  in  charge  of  C.  J.  Judd,  are 
brought  from  Pueblo,  Colorado,  for  in- 
terment at  Oaklawn.     He  died  Decem- 
ber, 7,  1878,  of  nervous  consumption,  at 
the  age  of  31  years.     He  was  a  young 
man  of  extraordinary  business  talent 
and  enterprise.    F.  B.  Hargreaves  lec- 
tures in  a  large  number  of  places  dur- 
ing the  winter.     Mr.  and  Mrs.   D.   Mc- 
Williams  visit  the  East.     Mr.  and  Mrs. 
CM.  Baker  celebrate  their  fifth   wed- 
ding anniversary.  Francis  Carey,  whose 
poetical  talent  was  in  much  demand 
for  both  solemn  and  festive  occasions, 
contributes  the  following  at  an  enter- 
tertainment  given  by  the  Reform  Club: 

THE  OLD  maid's    STORY. 

In  imagination,  not  long    since,  I    lifted    tlie 

latch 
And  had  a  nice  cliat  with  a  tunny  old  hatch. 
Since  then  I  have  another  call  made, 
This  time  on  a  good-natured,  good-looking  old 

maid. 


We  tall<ed,  I  should  thinl<,  for  nearly  two  hours, 
'Bdut  her  l)lr(is.  and  her  cats,  and  lier  flowe^rs. 
Tlieu  I  ventured  to  ask  lier  would  she  tell  me 
Wliy  so  long  she  continued  an  old  maid  to  be? 

Her  answer  was,  "Some  folks  might,  I'm  afraid, 
Call  me  a  crabbed  and  cross  old  maid. 
Because  at  thirty  I  cannot  claim 
Somebody's  care  and  somebody's  name. 

"Of  l)eax  I've  had  plenty,  but  never  the  one- 
Some  folks  say  I'm  too  cross  to  be  won; 
But  old  maids  never  think  it  too  late 
If  only  at  last  they  lind  the  riglit  mate. 

"And  I'm  sure  I'd  rather  an  old  maid  be 
Than  marry  any  man  that  ever  I  see; 
For  tliey  are  awkward  and  homely  and  cross, 
And  never  so  happy  as  when  they  can  l)oss. 

"They   pretend   to  be  loving,  and  gentle,  and 

sweet. 
And   make   pretty  bows  as  they  pass  on  the 

street; 
But  when  tliey'reat  home,  I  do  declare, 
They're  selfish,  and  ugly,  and  cross  as  a  bear. 

"'Tis  true  there  is  once  in  a  while  a  man 
That  seems  to  be  nearer  perfection's  plan; 
But  all  such  are  spoken  for  already,  you  see. 
And  only  the  crooked  ones  left  for  me. 

"Well,  I'm  not  discouraged  at  all  with  life. 
E'en  though  I  may  never  be  somebody's  wife. 
I  believe  when  for  true  love  you  are  mating, 
It  pays  to  wait,  though  long  be  the  waiting. 

"And  if  I  never  find  tlie  right  one,  you  see, 
I'll  die  an  old  maid  as  sure  as  can  be; 
Xo  one  shall  say,  'She  has  gone  the  woods  past, 
And  taken  a  crooked  old  stick  at  last.' 

"But  if  the  right  one  should  e'er  come  along. 
At  tlie  wedding  I'll  bid  them  sing  the  sweet 

song. 
Beginning,  'This  is  the  way  I  long  have  sought, 
And  mourned  because  I  found  it  not." 

The  letters  of  H.  A.  Kenyon,  written 
during  his  sojourn  in  the  West,  are 
published  and  read  with  pleasure.  The 
Odd  Fellows  conduct  the  funeral  of  W, 
T.  Cumberland.  Robt.  Thompson  dies, 
aged  72  years.  He  came  to  this  coun- 
try in  1854,  was  supervisor  for  eight 
years,  and  was  the  first  Justice  of  the 
Peace  of  Dwight,  being  elected  to  this 
ottice  in  1855.  Wm.  Estes  celebrates 
his  birthday  anniversary,  Francis  Carey 
furnishing  an  appropriate  poem.    The 


64 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


Knights  of  the  Round  Table  celebrate 
their  tenth  anniversary  at  the  McPher- 
son,  several  local  bards  in  their  numer- 
ous productions  appearing  at  their  best 
Miss  Julia  Gould  visits  Mrs,  Patrick, 
at  Martinet,  Wis.  J.  A.  Turner  dis- 
poses of  his  worldly  effects  and  takes 
up  his  residence  at  Fort  Hays,  Kansas. 
R.  S.  Mcllduff  purchases  the  house  of 
Eugene  Baker,  Bert  Adams  goes  to 
Watertown,  N.  Y,,  on  a  visit.  John 
Watson,  a  fine  genial  gentleman,  meets 
his  death,  Mr.  Frank  B.  Chester  mar- 
ries Miss  Emma  T.  Strong.  The  mar- 
riages of  Mr.  David  Duncan  and  Miss 
Julia  Potter  and  Mr.  .James  B.  Austin 
and  Miss  Nettie  Boyer  are  also  reported. 
Miss  Marion  F.  Kenyon  dies  en-route 
home  from  Colorado,  where  she  had 
been  taken  by  her  father  in  the  hope  of 
saving  he''  life,  aged  17  years.  Her 
amiable  character,  and  the  sad  circum- 
stances connected  with  *  her  death, 
caused  great  mourning  in  the  commun- 
ity where  her  short  life  had  been  spent 
J.  M.  Gibbs  sells  his  farm  and  seeks  a 
home  m  the  growing  West.  Mr.  Henry 
Bloom  marries  Miss  Eliza  Kern,  and 
Mr.  Darwin  Stevens  Miss  Cynthia  A. 
Harrison.  Thus  it  is  seen  that  the 
year  was  very  fruitful  of  events,  some 
that  were  indeed  sad,  others  that  caused 
much  joy  to  many  hearts. 
1879-80. 
By  the  then  residents  of  Dwight  the 
discussions  and  addresses  during  the 
winter  of  1879  will  probably  never  be 
forgotten.  The  entire  community  was 
aroused  upon  the  question  of  temper- 
ance as  never  before.  The  persistent 
agitation  of  the  temperance  question 
which  had  been  kept  up  for  several 
months,  and  the  new  discovery  of  the 
right  of  the  village  to  control  the  sale 
of  alcoholic  stimulants  as  a  majority 
voted,  resulted  in  the  election  of  a  pro- 
hibition Board,  consisting  of  David  Mc- 


Williams  president,  J.  C.  Hetzel,  Hugh 
Thompson,  A.  McKay,  John  Tierney 
and  Spencer  Eldredge.  On  these  men 
was  imposed  the  unpleasant  task  of 
seeking  to  make  Dwight  a  temperance 
town  by  the  enactment  and  enforce- 
ment of  a  prohibitory  law.  There  was 
a  general  feeling  that  at  last  the  dark 
night  of  drunkenness  had  dissappeared 
and  the  day  of  prohibition  had  dawned, 
and  that  it  would  be  a  long  time  before 
its  sun  would  set. 

J.  G.  Strong  was  elected  clerk,  but  on 
moving  to  Yankton,  Dakota,  was  suc- 
ceeded by  S.  W.  Strong.  S.  M.  Witt  re- 
ceived the  appointment  of  marshal, 
Henry  Eldredge,  treasurer  aud  J.  £. 
Hutchinson  that  of  poundmaster.  J. 
H.  Coe  was  made  night  police,  and  was, 
after  a  few  months,  compelled  to  resign 
on  account  of  poor  health,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  E.  Collins.  Saloon  keepers 
were  officially  notified  that  their  li- 
censes had,  upon  the  organization  of 
the  new  Board,  expired  and  that  they 
would  not  be  renewed.  A  prohibitory 
ordinance  was  passed  and  duly  pub- 
lished. 

The  year,  it  will  be  seen,  was  quite 
eventful.  Mr.  Manning  Smith  occupied 
the  Slocum  house.  Fred  Rhodes  was 
successful  in  passing  an  examination  in 
his  legal  studies  preparatory  to  an  ad- 
mission to  the  bar,  O.  W.  Pollard  was 
elected  president  of  the  Red  Ribbon 
Club  and  Albert  Calkins  secretary.  D. 
McWilliams  added  a  two-story  bay- 
window  to  the  south  side  of  his  resi- 
dence. Silas  Adams  was  made  conduc- 
tor of  the  accommodation.  Wm.  Fox 
went  to  Lincoln  to  accept  a  position  in 
the  land  office  of  Wm.  Scully's  agent. 
The  Red  Ribbon  Club  adopted  a  new 
constitution  and  by-laws.  Rev.  J,  N. 
Hill  was  installed  as  pastor  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  Rev,  Rabe  de- 
livering the  charge.    W.  II.    Bradbury 


Chas.  L,  Romberger. 


Frank  L.  Smith. 


Wm.  H.  Ketchain. 


J.  C.  Lewis, 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


65 


prepares  the  following  poem  for  an  en- 
tertainment given  by  the  Reform 
Club: 

In  humanity's  history  and  in  our  own  lives 

We  liud  tliere  is  sometliing  tliat  always  con- 
trives 

To  pierce  thro'  our  armor,  iu  the  slang  of  the 
day, 

To  sell  us  for  nothing  or  "give  us  away." 

When  Satan  beguiled  our  grandmother  Eve, 
And  told  a  false  tale  "with  intent  to  deceive," 
She  longed  to  Ivnow  secrets,  like  girls  of  our  day. 
And  thus  curiosity  "gave  her  away." 

When  Abel's  success  roused  the  anger  of  Cain, 
[Xo  chance  had  poor  Abel  to  rise  and  explain] 
The  murderer's  hand  was  uplifted  to  slay. 
And  passionate  jealousy  "gave  him  away." 

King  Pharoah  was  greedy  of  slaves  and  power 
Just  as  the  South  was  and  is  to  tliis  hour: 
Kut  the  water,  went  back  on  him  one  fatal  day: 
'Twas  the  avarice  of  tyrants  that  "gave  him 
away." 

The  noble  and  valiant  had  eacli  their  beguiler— 
Cleopatra  for  Anthony— for  Sampson  Delilah; 
Aspasia  for  Pericles— all  fell  a  prey 
To  the  sweet  snares  of  beauty  that  "gave  them 
away." 

The  Romans  who  conquered  almost  the  known 

world. 
From  the  top  peak  of  fame  to  the  bottom  were 

hurled. 
Refinement  and  luxury  with  tliem  liad  full  sway. 
But  indolent  lu.xiiry  "gave  them  away." 

The  (Jreeks  and  Egyptians,  Assyrians  and  Jews, 
The  great  Aryan  races  and  ancient  Hindoos, 
Once  proud  in  their  might,  now  are  prone  in  de- 
cay; 
'Twas  the  death  of  their  virtues  that  "gave  them 
away." 

But  amongst  our  own  folks:  That  young  fellow 

there 
Is  smart  and  good  looking,  and  got  up  with  care. 
He  is  puttingon  style— just  mark  the  display! 
For  i)ride  and  conceit  join  to  "give  him  away." 

That  young  woman,  too— (young  lady  I  meani— 
Is  pretty— she  knows  it  and  likes  to  be  seen ; 
She   dresses  and  powders,  looks  smiUug    and 

gay; 
Alas!  'tis  her  vanity  that  "gives  her  away." 

The  business  man  also,  is  greedy  of  gain. 
And  nothing  attracts  that  does  not  contain 
A  dime  or  a  dollar,  or  a  promise  to  pay; 
We  know  it  is  avarice  tliat  "gives  him  away." 


'the  loafers  we  see  are  the  other  extreme; 
They  lounge  about  town  or  sit  still  in  a  dream, 
With  cigars  in  their  moutlis  every  hour  'in  the 

day; 
'Tis  tobacco  and  laziness  "gives  tliem  away." 

But  the  eliief  of  all  causes  productive  of  ills 
Is  tl>e  drinking  of  liquors  that  ruins  and  kills. 
We  may  do  wliat  we  please,  or  debate  as  we 

may. 
Yet  whiskey's  the  worst  thing  to  give  us  away. 

And  now  my  few  verses  approacli  termination; 
They  have  not  come  up  to  my  own  expectation; 
But  I  shall  feel  satisfied  if  you'll  only  say 
That  they  are  not  so  bad  as  to  "give  me  away." 

On  Sunday  morning,  June  8th,  a 
great  fire  occurred,  destroying  Diften- 
baiigh  &  Co.'s  elevator  and  every  build- 
ing frum  Heizel's  corner  on  East  street 
to  Miller  Bros,  brick  building.  It 
originated  back  of  McKay's  harness 
shop,  but  how  remains  a  mystery.  The 
total  loss  was  put  at  .$43,350.  George 
KeppJinger  started  a  new  foundry. 
Fred  Rhodes  accepted  a  position  in  the 
freight  office  of  the  C.  &  0.  railroad, 
Pueblo,  Col.  Fourth  of  .July  was  cele- 
brated; S.  T.  K.  I'rime  acted  as  presi- 
dent of  the  day,  Rev.  .1.  X.  Hill  de- 
livered an  oration  and  Francis  Carey 
read  a  poem,  which  is  here  reproduced: 

Let  the  flags  unfurled  to  the  breezes  fly! 
'Tis  America's  day--grand  Fourth  of  July! 
Birthday  of  a  nation  great  and  free, 
Rocked  iu  the  cradle  ot  liberty. 

Let  tile  nation  rejoice  from  east  to  west- 
Home  of  freedom  and  land  of  the  blest; 
Tlie  noi  th  and  the  south  tlieir  homage  pay, 
Unite  to  lionor  this  glorious  day. 

Let  men  of  wealth  and  men  of  toil. 
Where'er  their  homes  on  this  fair  soil, 
Rejoice  in  the  freedom  our  fathers  gave. 
That  knows  no  master  anil  no  slave. 

Ah  who  can  fitly  words  employ 
To  fully  tell  a  nation's  joy? 
For  pe()i)le  meet  this  day  to  celebrate 
In  every  hamlet,  town  and  State. 

With  flags  and  drums  and  cannon's  roar, 
Th(^  crowds  collect  from  sliore  to  shore. 
With  pealing  bells  and  merry  shout 
The  day's  rtuig  in  and  day's  rung  out. 


m 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS" 


And  thousands  have  met  in  other  lands, 
From  Britain's  Isle  to  Africa's  sands, 
To  tell  their  friends  round  all  the  earth 
Their  love  for  this  land  of  home  and  birth. 

And  cliildren's  childreu  in  their  day 
Will  join  as  now  their  love  to  pay 
To  those  who  e'er  for  freedom  fought. 
And  untold  blessings  with  it  brought. 

Thus  we  may  prize  what  to  us  is  given. 
Best,  freest  land  this  side  of  heaven . 
Our  homage  witli  our  tlianlts  arise 
Lllce  sweetest  incense  to  the  slties. 

On  the  same  day  the  Presbyterians 
gave  a  festival  and  the  people  were 
favored  with  a  presentation  of  "Pina- 
fore "  Eev.  Rogers  preached  his  fare- 
well sermon.  The  Good  Templars  gave 
a  lawn  social  on  the  grounds  of  J.  G. 
Strong.  The  Pinafore  Company  visited 
Odell  and  Pontiac  upon  invitation  to 
do  so  from  leading  citizens  of  those 
places.  Miss  Mate  Magee  was  invited 
to  a  position  in  a  store  in  Joliet.  Frank 
Chester  returned  from  a  visit  to  New 
York,  Jasper  Philips  sold  his  farm 
and  moved  to  Nebraska.  Leander  Mor- 
gan made  a  visit  to  New  York  to  greet 
the  friends  of  his  youth.  Wm.  Estes 
sold  his  stock  of  hardware  to  J.  W. 
Strevell.  Howara  Slauson,  Edward 
Adams,  Thos.  Mcllduff  and  Harry  Dif- 
fenbaugh  attended  school  at  Cham- 
paign University.  A.  McKay  occupied 
a  new  brick  harness  shop.  S.  W.  Strong 
and  L.  G.  Pearre  formed  a  law  partner- 
ship. The  ladies  of  the  M.E.  Church 
gave  a  harvest  home  supper,  Dr,  Kee- 
ley  improving  the  occasion  by  tender 
ing  a  banquet  to  the  members  of  the 
Pinafore  Company.  I.  H.  Baker  &  Son, 
Miss  Lizzie  Burger  and  Thos.  Liddi- 
cott  took  possession  of  new  brick 
stores  erected  on  the  burnt  district  on 
East  Street.  Rev.  Dr.  Hartley  accepts 
a  call  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church.  Rev.  B.  F.  Tallman  is 
returned  as  pastor  of  the  M.  E.  church. 
Misses  Stella  and  Mary  Dow  left  for  a 


home  in  Cedar  Falls,  Iowa.  An  at- 
tempt was  made  to  burglarize  the  house 
of  J.  Christman.  A  lyceum  course  was 
arranged,  consisting  of  ten  or  more  en- 
tertainments. Mrs.  T.  M.  Wright  re- 
turned from  a  visit  to  Pennsylvania. 
D.  G.  Henshaw,  night  operator,  moved 
to  Streator.  Mr.  and  Mrs,  S,  M.  Witt 
celebrated  their  fifteenth  marriage  an- 
niversary and  were  made  the  recipients 
of  numerous  presents,  Alfred  Miller 
purchased  the  dwelling  of  Dr.  Keeley. 
J.  C.  Hetzel's  brick  stores  are  con  pleted. 
N,  Mickleson  occupying  the  one  on  the 
north  and  E.  M.  Merrill  the  one  on  the 
south.  Francis  Carey  bought  a  resi- 
dence of  A.  E.  Gould.  Rev.  Dr.  C. 
Hartley  delivers  a  series  of  lectures. 
J.  C.  Hetzel  opened  a  new  bank.  J.  I. 
Dunlop  died  of  consumption.  He  was 
a  man  of  good  natural  talent,  a  lawyer 
of  no  mean  abilities,  and,  had  he  been 
favored  with  early  educational  advan- 
tages, would  have  risen  to  a  place  among 
the  most  eminent  of  the  legal  profes- 
sion. His  death  was  regretted  by  many. 
RoUa  Calkins  accepted  a  position  with 
Maxwell  &  Co.,  Bloomington.  W.  H. 
Bradbury  left,  after  a  residence  of  sev- 
eral years,  for  his  new  home  at  Topeka, 
Kansas.  His  pen  was  a  potent  force 
for  good  and  his  place  has  never  been 
filled  in  this  community.  A  banquet 
was  given  in  his  honor  by  the  County 
Bar  Association.  James  Dunlop  ob- 
tained a  clerkship  in  a  store  at  Eddy- 
ville,  Iowa.  S.  T.  K.  Prime  commenced 
his  valuable  book  entitled  "The  Model 
Farmers  and  Their  Methods, "doing  the 
work  principally  in  Chicago.  Joseph 
Baker  entered  the  employ  of  D.  Mc- 
Williams  &  Co.  The  marriages  of  Mr. 
Frederick  Gillispie  and  Miss  Nellie  A. 
Lees,  and  Mr.  Michael  Kime  and  Miss 
Eliza  Schumm  were  reported.  The 
fortieth  birthday  of  L.  G.  Pearre  was 
celebrated.      William    Ketcham    cele- 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


67 


brated  his  nineteenth  birthday  and 
Misses  Emma  and  Nettie  presented 
him  with  a  gold  watch  chain.  Wm. 
Stitt  moved  r,o  Kansas.  Mr.  B.  C.  Sin- 
clair and  Miss  Melinda  Lee  were  mar- 
ried. The  Dwight-Chenoa  Mining 
Company  was  organized.  Leander  Mor- 
gan celebrated  his  sixty-fifth  birthday. 
Eugene  Baker  moved  to  Chatsworth. 
This  gentleman  for  a  number  of  years 
took  an  active  part  in  village  affairs 
and  his  removal  was  much  regretted  by 
the  citizens. 

1880-81. 

The  friends  of  temperance  had  a 
strong  desire  to  try,  at  least  for  another 
year,  the  plan  of  prohibiting  the  sale  of 
liquors.  If  all  had  not  been  accom- 
plished that  was  expected  in  demon- 
strating the  practicability  of  prohibi- 
tion, yet  it  was  reasonable  to  hope  more 
could  be  done  in  the  year  to  come.  One 
short  year,  it  was  urged,  was  not  a  fair 
trial  of  this  method  ot  dealing  with  the 
liquor  traffic.  The  license  party  on  the 
other  hand,  argued  that  as  under  every 
prohibition  administration  a  good  deal 
of  liquor  had  been  sold  clandestinely 
in  spite  of  all  the  efforts  of  the  village 
officials,  to  prevent  the  same,  it  were 
tar  better  to  license  saloons  outright 
and  secure  thereby  a  handsome  revenue 
that  could  be  used  in  building  side- 
walks, in  paying  the  salary  of  a  mar- 
shal, the  cost  of  litigation  and  the 
usual  expenses  of  a  well  regulated 
municipality.  Both  parties  made  every 
possible  exertion  to  win  and  much  ran- 
cor and  bitterness  entered  into  the  con- 
test. As  was  the  case  the  year  previous, 
many  of  the  ladies  became  deeply  in- 
terested and  on  the  day  of  the  election 
took  possession  of  the  fire  engine  room, 
where  free  lunches  were  furnished  till 
near  the  time  of  closing  the  polls.  The 
canvas  of  the  votes  showed  that  Ilenrj 
Fox,  president,  John  Geis,  Wm.  Doug- 


las, Geo.  Z.Flagler,  Orrin  Gould  and 
Wm.  Walker,  trustees— the  candidates 
of  the  license  party — had  been  elected. 
Of  all  the  defeats  experienced  by  the 
friends  of  prohibition  this  one  was  the 
most  dissappointing  and  galling.  A 
large  audience  gathered  at  the  appoint- 
ed time  and  place.  Several  addresses 
were  made,  the  aim  of  which  was  to 
reconcile  the  afflicted  to  the  situation 
of  affairs  till  the  new  year  should  close, 
and  to  encourage  them  to  hope  that  by 
a  patient  and  preservering  use  of  proper 
means  their  day  of  triumph  would 
surely  return. 

O.  W.  Pollard  made  a  sarcastic  ar- 
raignment of  the  liquor  traffic  and  in- 
dicated how  Dwight,  by  licensing  sa- 
loons, was  to  become  responsible  for  a 
share  of  its  baneful  effects  by  ironically 
suggesting  a  series  of  open  letters  to  be 
authorized,  properly  signed  and  pub- 
lished by  the  incoming  Board  as  repre- 
senting a  majority  of  the  voters  of  the 

village. 

1881-82. 

The  work  of  creating  a  temperance 
sentiment  in  a  community  where  the 
liquor  traffic  has  been  legalized  for 
years  sufflcientlv  strong  to  warrant  suc- 
cess in  an  attempt  to  enforce  a  prohibi- 
tory law.  is  one  that  requires  time, 
patience  and  perserverance.  The  first 
efforts,  as  the  experience  of  every  lo- 
cality where  a  temperance  reform  on 
this  line  has  been  attempted  shows, 
will  probably  fail.  There  were  four 
trustees  to  be  elected— one  more  than 
there  would  have  been  had  not  Mr. 
Wm.  Douglas  changed  his  residence. 
Two  of  the  old  license  board,  Henry 
Fox  and  .John  Geis,  held  over  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  provisions  of  a  new 
State  law.  O.  W.  Pollard,  DeWitt 
Scutt,  Henry  Eldredge  and  James  B. 
Parsons  were  the  successful  prohibition 
candidates,  receiving  an  average  ma- 


•68 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


jority  of  38  votes.  C.  J.  Judd,  on  the 
same  ticket,  was  elected  clerk.  The 
new  Board  organized  by  making  O.  W. 
Pollard  its  president.  S.  M.  Witt  was 
appointed  marshal  and  E.  Collins  night 
police.  David  McWilliams  offering  to 
perform  the  duties  of  treasurer  and 
allow  the  village  one-tenth  of  one  per 
cent  on  all  disbursements  for  the  privi- 
lege, was  appointed  to  this  office. 

The  M.  E.  church  built  a  new  parson- 
age, opposite  the  residence  of  O.  W. 
Pollard,  on  Prairie  Avenue.  S.  T.  K. 
Prime  established  his  Crop  Bureau  in 
Dwight.  M.  Kern  opened  a  grocery  on 
West  Side.  Miss  Mary  Dow  took  charge 
of  Prime  Academy.  The  Commence- 
ment week  of  the  High  school  was 
made  unusually  interestmg,  Rev.  G. 
Huyser  lectured  on  Sunday  evening 
and  Dr.  Adams  on  Tuesday  evening;  on 
class  day  an  original  poem  was  read  by 
Miss  Edith  Kneeland;  the  graduate's 
program  consisted  of  an  essay  on  "The 
Difficulties  of  Life,"  by  Anna  Baker, 
an  oration  on  "Thrift,"  by  John  P.  Mc- 
Williams, an  essay  on  "The  Good  and 
the  Beautiful,"  by  Alice  Rattenbury, 
an  oration  on  "Labor  the  Basis  of  all 
True  Progress,"  by  Fred  Wood,  an 
essay  on  "After  Many  Days,"  by  Alice 
Paul,  an  oration  by  Edith  Kneeland  on 
"Student's  Privilege,"  and  an  address 
and  presentation  ol  diplomas  by  Prof. 
Hubbard.  Miss  Kneeland's  class  day 
poem,  written  in  view  of  a  tree  plant- 
ing ceremony,  is  reproduced: 

May  these  young  roots  grow  deep  and  wide. 
These  branches  spread  on  every  side, 
And  year  l^y  year  tlie  perfect  stem 
Still  liigher  lift  its  diadem. 

Here  future  birds  on  airy  wing 
Shall  build  their  suiunier  nests  and  sing; 
Sunbeam  and  shadow  play  "hide  and  go  seek" 
Thro'  the  summer  day— thro'  the  summer  week, 
Wliile  soft  June  l)reezes  shall  join  their  play 
And  romp  thro'  the  foliage  the  livelong  day. 


Not  always,  not  always,  the  simbeam  warm 
Shall   smile   on    these  branches— in  the    cruel 

storm 
Of  the  lonely  night  they  shall  writhe  and  twist. 
These  boughs  shall  be  drenched  in  the  winter's 

mist; 
December  winds  go  moaning  low 
Thro'  branches  loaded  with  ice  and  snow. 

But  where  is  the  prophet,  whose  words  shall  re- 
veal 
The  burdens  of  woe,  and  the  treasures  of  weal. 
Which  the  restless  years  in  their  flight  shall 

bring 
To  this  young  group? 
They  shall  go  as  others  have  gone  before 
In  youth,  in  mid-life  and  gray  fourscore. 
Some  struggle  with  grief,  some  rise  unto  fame. 
Some  be  loaded  with  honors,  some  die  without 
name. 

When  fifty  eventful  years  are  jiast. 
And  the  one  or  the  two  who  linger  last, 
With  cheeks  where  time  has  laid  his  linger. 
With  heads  where  all  the  winters  linger, 
With  tremulous  hands  and  footsteps  slow 
Among  life's  early  scenes  shall  go. 

They  will  come  to  this  memorial  tree 
And  perhaps  may  remember  you  or  me— 
The  eyes  may  be  dim,  but  this  group  shall  seem 
As  it  stands  to-day  in  this  spring-time  scene. 

D.  McWilliams  having  been  appoint- 
ed a  delegate  to  the  World's  Conference 
of  the  M.  E.  Church,  which  was  to  be 
held  in  London,  accompanied  by  liis 
wife,  visited  England,  Ireland  and 
Scotland  and  many  parts  of  the  Conti- 
nent. H.  T.  Xewell  offered  to  the  pub- 
lic his  new  and  valuable  book  of  "Sta- 
tistics and  Common  Facts."  John 
Tierney  tendered  his  resignation  as 
Road  Master  on  the  C.  &  A.  R.  R.,  and 
was  succeeded  by  Timothy  Dnscoll. 
Union  meetings  were  held  in  the  park 
during  the  warm  weather.  Geo.  Tay- 
lor sold  his  Iligliland  farm  and  pur- 
chased a  farm  of  Wm,  Rhodes,  one 
mile  south  of  town,  paying  87,200. 
Joseph  Salzer  accepted  a  position  with 
Miller  Bros.  Mr.  James  Goodman  and 
Miss  Jennie  Hess  were  married.  Wm. 
Prime  attended  school  at  Mt,  Forrest, 
John  P.  McWilliams  at  Evanston,  and 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


69 


Harry  Diffenbaugh  at,  Champaign.  A 
memorial  service  was  lield  iu  the  West 
Park  in  honor  of  the  dead  President, 
James  A.  Gartield,  the  preparations 
/or  which  were  elaborate  and  in  excel- 
lent laate  and  the  occasion  drew  to- 
gether an  immense  audience,  Col.  R.  P. 
Morgan,  Jr.,  acted  as  chairman  of  the 
day.  Miss  Artie  Pollard  personated  the 
Goddess  of  Liberty,  and  Father  Hal- 
pin  and  Capt.  J.  I'.  Rowell  delivered 
eloquent  addresses.  Ella  Strong,  of 
Yankton,  visited  our  place.  Major 
Paul  s  family  occupied  residence  'west 
of  Congregational  Church.  \'r.  \Vm. 
Eaton  and  Miss  May  Ross  were  united 
in  the  bonds  of  wedlock.  Mrs.  Lewis 
Keuyon  spent  the  winter  east.  Rev. 
Lee  became  pastor  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church.  .John  Vickery  visited 
the  home  of  his  boyhood  in  England. 
K.  S.  Sedgwick  sold  his  residence  to 
Nelson  Mickleson,-  preparatory  to  his 
removal  to  Kansas.  Lucy  Barnum  took 
charge  of  the  Riling  school.  S.  T.  K. 
Prime  occupied  one  of  the  houses  of 
L.  G.  Pearre  during  the  winter.  J.  H. 
Turner  was  badly  scalded  by  the  blow- 
ing out  of  a  plug  in  a  steam  boiler  in 
Conrad's  planing  mill.  The  L.  £.  Kee- 
ley  Co.  began  shipping  their  cure  for 
drunkenness  and  the  opium  habit  to 
Australia.  Evans  Owens  left  for  his 
new  home  in  Colorado.  T.  C.  Cook  re- 
turned from  a  visit  to  Ohio  with  a  new 
wife.  Mrs.  Ilagerty  spent  the  winter 
among  friends  in  the  east.  Thomas 
Mcllduff  returned  home  from  Lead- 
ville,  Col.  Mr,  Edward  Adams  and 
Miss  Lizzie  M.  Baker  were  marriec;!. 
Mrs,  Mary  Pay  fair,  an  old  resident, 
was  found  dead  in  her  bed,  having  lived 
to  the  dge  of  70  years.  The  marriages 
of  Mr.  Corydon  Gould  and  Miss  Mary 
E.  Buren,  and  Mr.  Chester  Smith  and 
Miss  Mattie  Johnson  were  reported. 
The  small  pox  made  its  appearance, 


which  created  great  alarm,  several 
houses  were  quarantined  and  a  pest 
house  was  put  in  order  on  the  out- 
skirts of  the  village,  there  were  several 
victims,  two  of  whom  died.  Col.  R.  P. 
Morgan,  Sr.,  at  the  ripe  age  of  9.S  years, 
passed  away,  he  had  in  the  course  of  an 
eventful  life  been  identified  with  nearly 
all  the  great  railroads  of  the  country. 
Nelson  Cornell  died,  aged  62  years,  he 
came  to  Dwiglit  in  1854  and  occupied 
a  position,  for  a  number  of  years,  with 
the  C.  &  A.  R.  R.,  he  took  and  com- 
pleted successfully,  several  large  con- 
tracts for  grading,  the  last  one  being  a 
contract  with  the  1. 1  &  I.  railroad, 
the  anxiety  and  li^bor  attending  which 
probably  caused  his  death.  Mr.  Wm. 
Wykes  and  Miss  Carrie  Clarkson  mar- 
ried. Chas.  Crandall  receives  injuries 
by  attempting  to  alight  from  a  train. 
I.  N.  Gray  wrote  a  number  of  practical 
articles  which  were  published  in  the 
D wight  Star.  Mr.  Frank  Gibbons  and 
Miss  Ella  Stapleton  were  united  in 
marriage.  Rev.  John  Ker,  of  Ireland, 
occupied  the  pulpit  of  the  M.  E.  church. 
E.  Barr,  of  Goodfarm,  died  of  heart 
disease,  he  had  been  a  resident  of 
Goodfarm  for  many  years  and  had 
taken  a  prominent  part  in  its  affairs. 
His  death  was  much  regretted.  Allen, 
a  promising  lad,  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
•A.  G.  Potter,  came  to  his  death  after  a 
short  illness.  Mr.  Mart  S,  Hazleton 
and  Miss  Jennie  French  were  joined  in 
marriage.  Eugene  Seymour  was  seri- 
ously injured  by  the  accidental  dis- 
charge of  a  pistol  in  his  own  possession. 
Col.  R.  P.  Morgan,  Jr.,  returned  from 
a  business  trip  to  Colorado  and  New 
Mexico.  Mrs.  Theodore  EUsessor  was 
removed  by  death.  Mr,  and  Mrs.  John 
B.  Weagley  celebrate  their  golden  wed- 
ding. The  community  was  plunged 
into  deep  distress  by  the  sudden  and 
accidental  death  of  Wm.  H.  Ketcham, 


70 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


hfc  was  born  in  1821,  came  toDwight  in 
1855,  held  offices  of  trust  during  nearly 
all  these  years,  was  a  prominent  mem- 
ber of  the  Odd  Fellows  and  had  a  host 

of  friends, 

1882-83. 

The  campaign  preceding  the  election 
which  marks  the  beginning  of  this 
year,  was  in  a  number  of  respects  more 
exciting  and  interesting  than  any  for^ 
mer  ones  had  been.  It  was  opened  by 
the  publication  of  some  circulars,  suc- 
ceeding each  other  at  weekly  intervals, 
the  design  of  which  was  to  present  in 
the  briefest  manner  possible  some  of 
the  reasons  why  prohibition,  which  has 
been  made  silch  a  success  in  suppres- 
sing liquor  selling,  preventing  any  pub- 
lic exhibition  of  drunkenness  and  in 
securing  quiet  and  good  order,  should 
be  tried  another  year.  Some  persons, 
in  the  interest  of  the  license  party,  ven- 
tured to  publish  a  circular  which  was 
intended  as  a  reply  to  the  little  temper- 
ance sheets,  and  to  set  forth  some  rea- 
sons why  prohibition  should  be  aban- 
doned and  the  liquor  traffic  reopened. 
This  printed  document  was  entitled 
"Common  Sense,"  and  was  the  first 
venture  of  the  kind  the  license  party  of 
Dwight  had  ever  made;  and,  as  a  mat- 
ter of  history,  it  may  be  stated  the  at- 
tempt has  never  since  been  repeated. 
This  printed  effort  of  the  friends 
of  license  incited  the  mana- 
gers of  the  temperance  movement  to 
publish  a  twelve  column  paper,  bearing 
the  name  "Good  Sense."  A  number  of 
copies  were  issued,  and  during  the  week 
prior  to  the  election  it  made  its  appear- 
ance daily.  On  the  evening  previous 
to  the  day  of  election  the  license  party 
gathered  at  the  hall  to  listen  to  an  ad- 
dress by  Judge  Lynch,  of  Lincoln, 
while  an  audience  filled  the  M.  E.  church 
on  which  occasion  addresses  were  de 
hvered  by  F.  M.  Fanning,  Ilevs.  P.   A. 


Pool  and  W.  E.  Miller,  and  H.  A.  Ken- 
yon,  O.  W.  Pollard  and  others.  C.  J. 
Judd,  I.  H.  Baker  and  R.  P.  Morgan, 
the  prohibition  candidates,  were  elected 
by  an  average  majority  of  27  votes.  O.  ^ 
W.  Pollard,  Col.  J.  B.  Parsons  and 
Dewitt  Scott  having  been  elected  for 
the  long  term,  held  over.  Hugh  Thomp- 
son, on  the  prohibition  ticket,  was 
elected  clerk,  receiving  twenty-six 
more  votes  than  the  opposing  candi- 
date. The  new  Board  organized,  mak- 
ing O.  W.  Pollard  its  president.  S.  M. 
Witt  was  continued  in  theMarshalship 
and  Elwell  Collins  retained  as  night 
police.  David  McWilliaras  was  ap- 
pointed treasurer  and  L.  G.  Pearre  was 
employed  as  village  attorney.  Frank- 
lin street  was  extended  to  the  1. 1.  &  L 
railroad.  An  ordinance  prohibiting 
the  use  of  toy  pistols  and  percussion 
caps  for  the  amusement  of  children, 
was  passed.  Measures  looking  to  the 
removal  of  the  Lig  elevator  and  thereby 
lessening  the  fire  risks,  were  adopted. 
At  a  request  of  a  majority  of  the  tax 
payers,  Philip  Weicker  was  allowed 
.$200  as  damages  sustained  by  the  tear- 
ing down  of  his  residence  with  a  view 
of  stopping  the  further  progress  of  the 
great  fire  on  West  street.  S.  M.  Witt' 
resigning,  in  the  fall,  his  position,  E. 
Collins  was  appointed  to  succeed  hira. 
During  the  winter  the  scarlet  fever 
prevailed,  several  deaths  resulting 
therefrom  and  its  presence  caused  con- 
siderable alarm.  The  extent  of  the 
disease  was  greatly  exaggerated  in  other 
localities,  and  many  persons  were  de- 
terred, through  fear,  from  coming  to 
the  place  to  transact  business,  where- 
upon the  Board  authorized  the  issuance 
of  500  circulars  setting  forth  the  facts. 
The  expenditures  for  the  year  were 
$3,119.64.  Mr.  Luther  Benson,  of  Ind., 
the  author  of  "Fifteen  Years  in  Hell," 
and  at  that  time    a    popular    temper- 


HISTORY  OF  DWiGIlT,  ILLOOIS. 


71 


anch    orator,    lectured  in  the    M.    E. 
church.      The  Ladies  Society  of    the 
Presb>  terian  church  organized,  Mrs.  S. 
T.  K.  Prime,  President;  Mrs.  Jas.  Paul, 
Sec;  and  Mrs.  J.  C.  Lewis,  Treasurer. 
Union  services  of  the  several  churches 
were  held  in  West  Park  on  Sunday  af- 
ternoon during  the  summer  months. 
John  P.  Campbell   married   Mrs.   Tait. 
Lucy  Barnum  gave  an  exhibition  at 
the  close  of  her  school  at  Prime  Acad- 
emy.   Edward  Cline  succeeded  C.   M. 
Baker    in    the    drug  "business.      Rev. 
Father  Halpui,  after  a  residence  of  five 
years,    dissolved   his   connection   with 
the  Catholic  society  of  this  place,   his 
departure  was  much  regretted   by  all 
our    citizens.      The    3-1    offices    were 
moved  to  Kankakee.  An  Archery  club 
was  formed,  quite  a  number  joining. 
Col.  .J    13.  Parsons  resigned  his  position 
in  the  army.    Chas.  Stevens'  dwelling, 
in  Goodfarm,  was  destroyed  by  fire.  In 
August  the  a:reat  fire  on   West  street 
occurred.     Amos'  hotel,  Spey's  bakery, 
Kern's  building,    Kern   &  Scott's  gro- 
cery stock,   Koehler's   building,   Dern- 
bach's  barber  shop  and  Geis'  cigar  shop 
were  destroyed.   Philip  Weicker's  store 
and  dwelling  was  torn  down   to   arrest 
the  progress  of  the  fire.     The  two   ele- 
vators and    the  freight  ho  ise,  water 
tank  and  depot  of  the  C.  &  A,  R-.  R. 
were  all  on  fire  at  the  same  time.    It 
required  great  exertion  on  the  part  of 
the  citizens  to  save  these  buildings  and 
to  prevent  the  destruction  of  all  the 
business  houses   of  the  village.     The 
Renfrews  played  a  match  game  of  ball 
with    the    tleds,  of  Streator.    Charlie 
Fenn  accepted  a  position   with   Miller 
Bros     L.  G.  Pearre  was  nominated  by 
the  democrats  for  the  office  of  county 
judge.    S.  M.  Witt  was  elected  sheriff. 
Chas.  Payfare  moved  to  Joliet.     Fran- 
cis Carey  rented  his  house  to  Adam 
Dernbach  and  with  his  family  moved 


to  Chicago.  Mike  Kern  erected  a  brick 
building  on  the  burnt  district.  Mr.  W. 
A.  Chamberlain  married  Miss  Emma 
Ketcham.  W.  H.  Amos  and  family 
moved  to  Gliddon,  Iowa.  Edward  and 
Xellie  McWilliams  made  a  trip  to  Eu- 
rope, spending  most  of  the  summer  on 
the  continent.  Johnnie  Fenn,  a  very 
promising  young  man,  was  accidentally 
killed  by  the  caving  of  a  sand  bank. 
Co^.  Wyatt,  of  Lincoln,  delivered  a  tem- 
perance lecture  in  West  park.  S.  M. 
Witt  moved  to  Pontiac  to  enter  upon 
his  duties  as  sheriff,  and  was  succeeded 
in  the  marshalship  by  E.  Collins.  John 
Geis  purchased  the  residence  property 
of  T.  W.  Wright.  Rev.  Wm.  R.  Scott, 
of  the  Presbyterian  church,  preached 
his  farewell  sermon.  Mr.  Edward  T. 
Metz  married  Miss  Buranna  Losee. 
Rev.  Lee,  of  the  Congregational  church, 
resigned  his  charge  and  moved  to  Jol- 
iet. Mr.  U.  Gault  married  Miss  Alice 
Hamrick.  Orrin  Gould  died  at  the  age 
of  73  years,  he  came  to  this  place  in 
1855,  was  a  man  of  industrious  and 
temperate  habits,  upright  in  all  his 
dealings,  and  during  his  residence  here 
held  several  offices.  S.  W.  Strong  re- 
ceived the  appointment  of  deputy 
sheriff  and  changed  his  residence  to 
Pontiac.  Col.  J.  B.  Parsons  sold  his 
coal  and  ice  business  to  J.  D.  Ketcham. 
Theodore  Clark  died  of  consumption, 
J.  H.  Lloyd  sold  his  farm  and  moved 
to  Missouri,  where  he  engaged  in  a 
general  mercantile  business.  Pollard 
&  Buck  dissolved  partnership  and  the 
latter  continued  the  hardware  business. 
Eleven  deaths  resulted  from  the  scarlet 
fever  scourge;  Miss  Nellie  Gallup,  a 
beautiful  and  popular  young  lady,  and 
Miss  Laura  Thompson,  a  graduate  of 
our  high  school,  and  four  of  the  family 
of  T.  J.  Johnson  were  of  the  number. 
Mertie  Clarkson,  Sophia  Hanson,  Capt. 
John  Stafford,  Mrs.  Francis  Carey  and 


72 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


Mrs.  Mart  Hazleton  were  removed  by 
death.  The  Methodists  held  a  memorial 
service  in  memory  of  the  scholars  of 
the  M.  E.  church  Sunday  school  who 
had  died  as  a  result  of  the  epidemic 
and  other  causes.  The  Good  Templars 
disbanded  after  several  years  of  efficient 
work  in  the  interest  of  the  temperance 
cause.  Mr.  Lawrence  .Roe  married 
Miss  Gorden,  and  B.  H.  Groll  married 
Miss  Hannah  Kleppine.  The  firm  ^f 
Goi-e,  Losee  &  Austin  dissolved.  The 
National  Fire  Escape  Co.  organized 
with  a  capital  stock  of  iSlOjOOO,  the  ob- 
ject being  to  introduce  Dr.  Payne's  fire 
escape.  The  Presbyterians  gave  an  en- 
tertainment, the  principal  feature  of 
which  was  the  broom  brigade,  Dr.  L. 
F.  Abbott  located  in  Dwight.  Levi 
Reeder  leased  the  Cornell  house  and 
livery  stable.  Hiram  Cornell  took 
charge  of  a  hotel  'in  Braidwood.  The 
marriage  of  Mr.  Alvi  Barnum  and  Miss 
Nellie  Stormer  was  reported.  D.  D. 
Lewis  retired  from  a  position  as  clerk 
in  the  store  of  D.  Mc  Williams  after  a 
continous  service  of  over  23  years. 
Waters  &  Hawthorne  dissolved  part- 
nership. I.  H.  Baker  retired  from  the 
furniture  business  after  an  experience 
of  a  quarter  of  a  century.  John  Gallup 
purchased  Mr.  Huey's  interest  in  the 
tile  factory.  A.  Dernbach  purchased 
Tierney's  residence  property  on  Frank- 
lin street.  J.  A,  Spencer  introduced 
his  new  hay  press.  Mr,  and  Mrs.  D. 
McWilliams  visited  the  Hot  Springs, 

Ark. 

1883-84. 

The  temperance  party  felt  so  confi- 
dent of  a  victory  at  the  spring  election 
for  this  year,  that  many  public  meet- 
ings for  the  purpose  of  agitating  the 
question  were  thought  not  to  be  nfeces- 
sary.  It  was  assured  that  a  large  ma- 
jority of  our  citizens  were  so  well  satis- 
lied    with   the  manner  in    which  the 


affairs  of  the  village  had  been  adminis- 
tered, that  no  change  wotild  be  desired. 
The  license  party,  on  the  other  hand, 
adopted  the  plan,  from  which  it  never 
entirely  deviated,  save  in  one  instance, 
which  was  to  make  a  quiet  and  thor- 
ough canvass,  yet  at  the  same  time  to 
appear  to  have  no  particular  interest 
in  the  results.  They  sought  to  keep 
the  temperance  people  quiet  by  appear- 
ing indifferent  themselves.  The  results 
of  the  year  previous,  as  set  forth  in  a 
former  chapter,  had  convinced  them 
that  in  a  bold  and  candid  discussion 
they  had  no  shadow  of  success.  The 
sly  and  deceptive  scheme  came  very 
near  giving  them  the  victory.  For 
once,  at  least,  the  friends  of  temperance 
were  caught  napping,  and  not  till  the 
opening  of  the  polls  on  the  day  of  the 
election  did  they  begin  to  realize  to 
what  an  extent  they  had  been  deceived 
by  the  seeming  unconcern  and  inactiv- 
ity of  the  enemy.  One  of  the  prohibi 
tion  candidates  was  defeated  and  the 
other  two,  J.  J.  Gore  and  Hugh-Thomp- 
son, were  elected  by  bare  majorities  of 
one  and  two  votes.  The  license  jjaity 
achieved  a  partial  triumph  in  ttie  elec- 
tion of  C.  D,  Chalfant  as  village  trustee. 
Harry  Diffenbaugh,  who  ran  on  the 
temperance  ticket  for  clerk,  was  elected. 
The  board,  as  organized,  stood  as  fol- 
lows: R.  P.  Morgan,  Piesideut:  C.  J. 
Judd,  I.  H.  Baker,  J.  J.  Gore,  Hugh 
Thompson,  C.  D.  Chalfant,  Trustees. 

Elwell  Collins  was  employed  as  Mar- 
shal; A,  McKay  received  tiie  appoint- 
ment as  treasurer  and  L.  G.  I'earre  w^s 
engaged  as  village  attorney. 

The  year's  administration  was  a  suc- 
cess. Good  order  prevailed  and  no  lit- 
igation was  found  necessary.  The  big 
elevator  was  declared  a  nuisance  and 
its  removal  was  demanded.  The  ex- 
penditures for  the  year  were  ^Sl,705.13, 
the  smallest  amount  of  any  other  year. 


Ed.  Mezget 


Dwight  C.  Morgan. 


Ed.  Losee. 


Orville  Brown. 


HISTOBY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLIISUIS. 


73 


The  treasurer  reported  cash  on  hand  to 
the  amount  of  $2,035.64.  Bert  Adams 
became  cashier  in  People's  Bank.  L. 
J.  Trunnell  took  charge  of  the  McPher- 
son  House.  Henry  Eldredge  sold  out 
his  business.  Rev.  P.  Leenhouse 
became  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  The  Star  closed  its  fifteenth 
year,  only  omitting  six  issues  for  this 
Jong  period.  Mr.  Wm.  Spencer  mar- 
ried Miss  Delia  Morrison,  John  P. 
Weagley  came  to  his  death,  aged  73 
years,  having  been  a  member  of  the  M. 
E.  church  over  60  years.  Mrs.  McGov- 
ern  passed  away.  A.B,  Dunlap  organized 
the  McDowell  Cemetery  Association. 
L.  G.  Pearre  was  appointed  Master  in 
Chancery.  .las.  Egbert  Clarkson  was 
removed  by  death.  Mr  Freeman 
Spencer  married  Miss  Carrie  Parker. 
Henry  Eldredge,  after  having  resided 
in  Dwight  twenty  years,  left  the  place 
for  a  permanent  home  elsewhere;  he 
was  a  valuable  citizen,  had  been  school 
director  several  times,  a  member  of  the 
village  Board,  town  treasurer,  and  was 
an  active  and  useful  member  of  the 
Congregational  church  and  carried 
away  with  him  the  best  wishes  of  the 
many  who  had  known  him.  Mrs.  Frank 
Chester  bade  her  friends  adieu  and 
sought  a  home  at  St,  Marys,  Kansas. 
Wm.  Chamberlain  occupiea  a  house  of 
Mrs.  Wm.  Ketcham.  Prof.  Hubbard 
having  closed  his  fifth  year  as  principal 
of  our  schools,  departed  to  take  charge 
of  the  Washington  schools.  Carl  Mil- 
ler left  for  a  trip  to  Europe,  in  search 
of  health.  Prof.  H.  D.  Fisk  was  en- 
gaged to  teach  our  youth.  The  Pres- 
byterians gave  a  Gypsy  Operetta, 
Thos,  Liddicott  sold  his  residence  prop- 
erty to  G.  L.  Kern.  Henry  A.  Elkins, 
the  famous  artist,  made  this  place  his 
home  for  several  weeks,  giving  a  select 
few  the  benefit  of  his  marvelous  skill 
in  painting,  J.  Knudsen  purchased  the 


Ilibbard-Thompson  property.  A  Mc- 
Kay sold  his  harness  business  to  Leach 
&  Reeb.  The  M.  E,  church  celebrated 
the  Fourth  of  July  on  an  extensive 
scale;  Rev.  C.  O.  McCuUoch  delivered 
the  address,  Harry  Diffenbaugh  read 
the  Declaration  of  Independence  and 
the  ladies  conducted  a  fair  and  festival 
during  the  day  and  evening,  the  gross 
receipts  amounted  to  $265.  Mrs.  Goe- 
dart's  house  was  burglarized  of  $25. 
Mr.  T.  C.  Chandler  married  Miss  Lettie 
Lewis.  D.  D.  Lewis  was  summoned 
from  earth;  he  was  born  in  Poughkeep- 
sie,  N.  Y,,  Oct.  25,  1819,  came  to  this 
place  as  early  as  1857.  "In  him  the  com- 
munity lost  a  good  man,  a  sincere  friend 
and  a  valuable  citizen."  Thos,  Liddi- 
cott moved  to  Beatrice,  Neb,  Aggie 
Mcllduff  visited  Denver,  Carrie  Smith 
went  to  Pueblo,  A.  B,  Dunlap  was 
suddenly  taken  from  earth;  he  was 
born  in  Steubenville,  Ohio,  Sept,  25, 
1832,  came  to  this  locality  in  1852  and 
was  much  respected  for  his  sterling 
good  qualities.  Capt,  Wm,  Bartholic 
celebrated  his  27th  wedding  anniver- 
sary and  was  presented  with  a  gold- 
headed  cane  by  the  members  of  the 
Round  Table.  Henry  Morgan  visited 
the  east.  Hugh  Thompson  and  family 
departed  for  Raymond,  Dakota.  John 
Smith  delivered  a  lecture  which  was 
much  praised  as  a  literary  and  orator- 
ical effort.  The  school  directors  and 
their  wives,  and  all  the  teachers  visited 
the  Joliet  prison.  The  Congregational 
Sunday  school  held  a  picnic,  clam  bake 
and  fish  chowder  in  Leander  Morgan's 
grove.  Cora  Walker  and  Edith  Knee- 
land  attended  school  at  Normal  and 
Wm.  Gore  and  John  Smith  at  Abing- 
don, The  remains  of  Cory  Houston 
were  brought  here  for  burial.  A  ban- 
quet was  given  at  the  McPherson  in 
honor  of  H.  T.  Newell  on  the  eve  of  his 
departure,  with  his  family,  for  a  resi- 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


dence  in  Los  Angeles,  Cal.,he  had  been 
a  resident  of  the  place  twenty-five 
years.  Dr.  Rabe  purchased  tne  resi- 
dence property  of  H.  T.  iSTewell.  Wm. 
Walker's  planing  mills  were  enlarged 
for  the  manufacture  of  Spencer's  hay 
presses.  Rev.  Jameson  occupied  the 
house  of  Mrs.  S.  Morrison.  John  Mc- 
Williams  accompanied  the  family  of 
H  T.  Newell  to  California.  Rev.  E.  S 
Wilson  became  pastor  of  the  M.  E, 
church,  Rev.  P.  A.  Cool  moving  to 
Galva,  111.  Chas.  Fallis,  after  studying 
medicine  at  home  for  two  years,  attend- 
ed lectures  at  the  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons College,  Chicago.  Major  Judd 
and  family  took  up  their  abode  with 
Mrs.  Gardner  at  the  Gray  mansion. 
Daniel  Smith  came  to  an  accidental 
death  at  Streator;  he  was  58  years  old 
and  came  to  Dwight  in  1857,  and  the 
records  show  that  he  had  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  village  board;  he  was  a 
peacable,  kind  man  and  much  respect- 
ed. John  A.  Fikes  sold  his  farm  and 
moved  to  Kansas.  J.  W.  Watkins  and 
Bert  Adams  purchased  the  banking 
business  of  J.  C.  Iletzel.  Mr.  Samuel 
Wilkinson  married  Miss  Maggie  BaKer. 
L.  G.  Pearre  was  killed  by  a  collision 
of  railroad  trains;  his  death  produced 
great  sorrow,  having  been  a  popular 
member  of  the  county  bar  for  several 
years.  The  village  records  contain  the 
following  preamble  and  resolutions: 

Whereas,  Our  Heavenly  Father  has 
taken  from  us  our  fellow-citizen  and 
friend,  Lemuel  G.  Pearre. 

His  life,  as  a  husband,  father,  citizen 
and  friend  was  characterized  by  those 
sympathies  and  acts  which  are  only 
found  in  a  good  husband,  a  good  father, 
a  good  citizen  and  a  good  friend.  He 
had,  at  a  comparitively  early  period  of 


his  life,  attained  to  high  position  as  a 
lavvyer  and  public  officer,  and  also  in 
public  estimation,  for  his  professional 
and  ofiicial  merit  and  personal  worth: 
Therefore,  be  it 

Resolved,  By  the  Board  of  Trustees 
of  the  Village  of  Dwight  this  expres- 
sion of  our  regard  for  him  be  placed 
upon  the  Village  records,  and  published 
in  the  Dwight  Star,  and  a  copy  fur- 
nished the  bereaved  wife  and  family. 

Rev.  Leenhouse,  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  resigned  his  charge.  The  M. 
E.  church  became  lighted  with  a  new 
set  of  chandeliers.  J.  ^Y.  Watkins 
purchased  the  Judd  cottage,  on  Morgan 
avenue  and  J.  R.  Oughton  ttie  Little 
property.  Alvin  Small  died,  aged  79 
years.  Charles  L.  Romberger,  an  at- 
torney, located  in  Dwight.  The  Con- 
gregational church  held  a  series  of  pro- 
tracted meetings.  Mr.  Samuel  Boyer 
married  Miss  Jennie  Lower.  Dr.  M. 
Palm  became  a  citizen  of  this  place. 
Mr.  WillE.  Pringle  and  Miss  Allie  Rat- 
tenbury  were  joined  in  marriage,  also, 
Mr.  W.  M.  Mullen  and  Miss  Maggie 
Dunlop,  also.  Dr.  Langhaus  and  Miss 
Ollie  Pearre.  Samuel  Lower,  after  sev- 
eral years  of  residence  in  Cabery,  re- 
turned to  this  place.  Joe  Salzer  severed 
his  connection  with  the  firm  of  Miller 
Bros.  The  remains»of  Albert  Calkins 
were  brought  from  Bloomington  to  this 
place  for  burial.  He  was  an  exemplary 
young  man  and  his  death  -was  the  cause 
of  much  sorrow  to  his  acquaintances. 
The  remains,  also,  of  William  Kelagher, 
an  old  resident  who  died  in  Texas,  were 
brought  to  tills,  his  old  home,  for  inter- 
ment. D.  McWilliams  was  nominated 
as  Presidential  Elector  by  the  State  Re- 
publican Convention.  AV.  S.  Metz,  Esq., 
of  Odell,  delivered  a  line  temperance 
lecture  in  the  M  E.  church. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


<D 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE   PAST  TEN   YEARS. 


1884.85. 
As  the  term  of  three  corporation 
trustees  expired,  and  as  two  selected 
for  the  long  term  at  the  beginning  of 
the  year  previous  had  moved  to  other 
localities,  it  devolved  upon  the  citizens 
to  elect  five  new  trustees.  C.  J.  Judd, 
C.  M.  Baker,  Edward  McWilliams,  J. 
B.  Parsons  and  O.  ^y.  Pollard,  all  pro- 
hibition candidates,  were  elected  by  a 
handsome  average  majority  of  twenty- 
seven  votes.  C.  L.  Palmer  was  elected 
clerk.  The  board  organized  by  making 
O.  W.  Pollard  president.  John  G.  Fox 
was  employed  as  village  marshal.  A. 
McKay  received  the  appointment  as 
treasurer.  Some  suits  were  instituted 
during  the  year  against  parties  for  sell- 
ing intoxicating  liquors,  though  such 
attempted  violations  were  few  in  num- 
ber. Under  the  supervision  of  J.  B. 
Parsons,  chairman  of  the  committee  on 
streets  and  alleys,  a  number  of  valuable 
improvements  were  made.  The  old 
fences  about  the  two  parks  were  taken 
down  and  new  ones  erected  instead. 
The  trees  in  the  West  Park  were 
trimmed.  A  fine  lot  of  substantial 
hitching- pAsts,  with  railings  attached, 
were  put  up  at  convenient  places.  The 
town  house  was  painted  within  and 
without,  several  streets  were  graded, 
and  many  new  ditches  made;  !i?l,971.37 
were  expended  on  streets  and  alleys. 


The  total  expenditures  for  the  year 
were  .f  2,904.72.  To  Geo.  A.  Seymour  a 
permit  was  granted  to  sell  intoxicating 
liquors  for  medicinal  and  mechanical 
purposes.  The  usual  routine  business 
was  transacted,  outside  of  which  noth- 
ing or  any  importance  was  done  which 
has  not  been  already  mentioned. 

T.  C.  Cook  ended  his  earthly  pilgrim- 
age. He  came  from  New  York  State, 
had  been  a  resident  of  Uwight  for  sev- 
eral years,  and  was  a  man  of  indus- 
trious and  economical  habits.  John 
Grosh  also  died.  He  was  an  old  resi- 
dent, haVing  lived  in  this  part  of  the 
county  thirty  years,  and  in  the  village 
twenty  years.  He  was  a  German  by 
birth,  aud  possessed  the  frugal  habits 
characteristic  of  his  race.  E.  L.  Wil- 
son accepted  a  position  with  Miller 
Bros.  Judd  Williams  erected  a  large 
livery  barn  south  of  Water's  brick  shop, 
J.  C.  Lewis'  birthday  anniversary  was 
celebrated  by  a  surprise  party  gotten  up 
by  his  wife  and  daughter  liertie.  Rev. 
.Jameson  severed  his  relation  as  pastor 
of  the  Congregational  church  and  de- 
parted for  Huron,  Dakota.  Prof.  H.  D. 
Fisk  was  engaged  for  the  second  year 
as  principal  of  the  schools.  Dr.  Bab- 
bage  married  Miss  Amelia  Simmons. 
Sarah  (Tarkson  opened  a  select  school 
in  the  basement  of  the  M.  E.  church. 
The  commencement  exercises  of    the 


76 


HISTORY  OF  D WIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


high  school  were  pronounced  excellent, 
equaling,  if  not  surpassing,  former  ones. 
The  graduates  were  four  in  number. 
Jennie  Ilattenbury  delivered  the  salu- 
tary and  an  essay  on  "Beauty  of  Mind 
Endures  Forever."  Annie  Fox  chose 
for  her  subject,  "He  Helps  the  World 
who  Helps  Himself."  Effie  Baker  se- 
lected as  a  theme,  "The  Mould  of  every 
Man's  Fortune  Lies  in  his  own  Hands." 
Jennie  Payne  discoursed  upon,  "What 
Shall  the  Harvest  be '?' '  Prof.  Hubbard 
delivered  an  address  on  "Our  Public 
Schools,"  and  Prof.  H.  D.  Fisk,  as  prin- 
cidal,  addressed  the  graduates  and  pre- 
sented the  diplomas.  Dr.  M.  Houston 
located  permanently  in  the  place.  Mr. 
D.  D.  Schott  married  Miss  Addie  V 
Potter  Chas.  Koehnlein  died  while 
temporarily  residing  in  Dakota,  and  his 
remains  were  brought  here  for  burial. 
Mrs.  Silas  G.  Adams  was  suddenly 
called  from  earth.  She  had  many 
friends,  and  her  death  caused  much 
sorrow.  The  remains  of  the  wife  of  J. 
B.  Travis  were  brought  here  for  inter- 
ment. She  had  lived  in  the  place  at  an 
early  day  and  was  favorably  known  by 
the  first  settlers  of  this  locality.  John 
Vickery  was  injured  by  a  runaway 
team.  Mrs.  M.  I.  Txacy  Cutler  deliv- 
ered a  lecture  in  the  M.  E.  church  to  a 
large  audience  on  "Women  Under  the 
Christian  Dispensation."  The  Fourth 
of  July  was  celebrated  on  a  grand  scale. 
There  was  a  liberty  car  containing  thir- 
ty-six young  ladies,  and  several  hand- 
somely decorated  wagons  representing 
the  different  business  houses.  A  spacious 
stand  was  erected  on  the  grounds  of 
East  school-house.  Music  was  fur- 
nished by  the  Dwight  Cornet  Jiand  and 
Glee  Club. 

D.  McWilliams  acted  as  president  of 
the  day.  Prof.  H.  D  Fisk  read  the  de- 
claration of  Independence,  and  Bev.  E. 
S.  Wilson  delivered  the  oration.  The  la- 


dies of  the  Congregational  church  ran 
a  dinner  and  refreshment  room,  realiz- 
ing as  net  proceeds  .§100.  The  Odd 
Fellows  arranged  for  an  excursion  over 
the  3-1  railroad  to  Kankakee.  Mr.  Wm. 
Goldencrown  married  Miss  Maggie 
Banks.  Henry  Hollmeyer  purchased  the 
Spencer  residence.  John  P.  McWilliams 
returned  from  California  after  a  year's 
absence.  Mrs.  Dr.  McLean  was  ad- 
judged insane,  and  was  taken  to  the 
Kankakee  asylum.  A  company  was 
organized  to  manufacture  and  sell 
Iluey's  patent  pyrometer,  an  instru- 
ment for  registering  the  heat  in  either 
tile  or  brick  kiln.  The  Morgan  Joint 
Co.  organized  for  putting  on  the  mar- 
ket Col.  Morgan's  patented  rail  coup- 
ling. Rev.  Barnes  was  called  to  the 
Congregational  church.  Julia  Gould 
visited  friends  on  the  Pacific  Slope.  Dr. 
Palm  returned  from  a  visit  east, 
bringing  with  him  a  new  wife,  and  de- 
cided to  make  the  pla'ce  a  permanent 
home.  Mrs.  Maggie  J.  AVilkinson,  the 
daughter  of  Isaac  II.  and  Isabella 
Baker,  died  after  an  illness  of  several 
months  duration.  Mrs.  E.  D.  Green, 
after  attaining  a  good  old  age,  passed 
into  the  beyond.  Mr.  W.  T.  Prime 
married  Miss  Alice  Paul.  Chas.  L. 
Romberger  entered  the  marriage  state 
and  occupied  a  cottage  on  Seminole 
street  west  of  Prairie  avenue.  Mr. 
John  II.  Biles  joins  in  marriage  Miss 
lielle  Cameron.  Mrs.  Delia  Spencer 
died  in  Chicago,  and  her  remains  were 
brought  here  for  burial.  Mr.  Wm.  C. 
JJartholic  Avas  married  to  Miss  An- 
geline  E.  Robinson.  From  the  Star  of- 
fice the  first  number  of  the  Congrega- 
tional review  was  issued,  under  the 
management  of  Revs.  Longley  and 
Smith.  Rev.  Barnes  preached  the 
Thanksgiving  sermon,  all  the  churches 
joining  in  the  service.  E.  D.  (Jreen 
terminated  his  long  life.    Frank  J^ar- 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


nam,  while  out  hunting,  received  an 
ugly  wound  in  his  shoulder  and  breast 
by  an  accidental  discharge  of  a  gun.  I). 
AVcWilliams,  as  a  delegate,  attends  the 
Baltimore  Centennial  of  the  M.  E. 
church.  The  Methodists  provide  a 
Christmas  entertainment  for  the  Siui- 
day  school  children.  The  Odd  Fellows 
gave  an  entertainment,  part  of  which 
consisted  of  an  address  by  J.  H.  Funk. 
The  Dwight  Chautauqua  Literary  and 
Scientific  Circle  was  formed,  and  O.  W. 
Pollard  was  chosen  president  and  John 
P.  McWilliams  secretary.  The  death 
of  Hannah  Chester  at  Pueblo,  Col., 
was  announced.  Mr.  Nelson  Mickelson 
was  married  to  Miss  Maggie  Smith. 
Chas.  Fenn  returns  from  Poughkeepsie, 
after  several  mf)nths  attendance  at  a 
commercial  college.  The  marriage  of 
Mr.  Silas  G.  Adams  and  Miss  Susan 
Goedert  was  reported.  The  School 
News,  an  educational  journal,  edited  by 
Professors  Fisk  and  Tombaugh,  was  is- 
sued from  the  office  of  the  Star.  Mr. 
Joseph  Salzer  and  Miss*  Lizzie  Christ- 
nfan  Avere  joined  in  wedlock,  and  a 
similar  event  happened  to  Mr.  Edward 
Darman  and  Miss  Dunlap;  also  to  Mr. 
li.  F.  Doherty  and  Miss  Bertie  Lewis, 
and  to  Mr.  1).  P.  Mills  and  Miss  Sarah 
C.  Boyer,  and  to  Mr.  John  A.  Perry 
and  Miss  Annie  P.  Cameron. 

The  winter  was  pronounced  the  cold- 
est known  in  this  latitude.  The  roads 
leading  into  town  and  the  railroads 
were  blockaded  with  drifts  of  snow  to 
such  an  unusual  de])th  as  to  make 
traveling  impossible  for  several  days  in 
succession.  The  destruction  of  the  or- 
chards, as  a  consequence,  was  very 
great.  Edward  Bunting  and  Miss  Ann 
Essington  took  upon  themselves  the 
marriage  vow.  Mrs.  Judd  Williams 
died  of  heart  disease.  AVm.  E.  Fenn 
purchased  the  S.  Eldridge  property.  I. 
C.  Magee  and  Bichard  .Shapland.  with 


their  families,  sought  new  homes  in 
the  West.  The  friends  and  members 
of  the  Congregational  society  visited 
Braidwood  as  the  guests  of  Mrs.  Hiram 
Cornell.  The  Methodists  conducted  a 
protracted  meeting  of  several  weeks* 
duration.  C.  J.  Judd  rented  the  old 
Strong  residence.  The  roof  of  the  old 
stone  tank  was  burned  on  Sunday.  H. 
A.  Kenyon  completed  his  sixteenth 
year  as  postmaster.  Rev.  Barnes  de- 
livered a  temperance  lecture  at  a  union 
service  held  in  the  M.  E.  church.  The 
ladies  of  the  Congregational  society 
tendered  Mrs.  Jordan,  on  the  eve  of  her 
departiu-e  for  Bloomington,  a  compli- 
mentary banquet  at  the  residence  of  E. 
C.  Adams,  and  presented  her  with  an 
elegant  easy  chair  as  a  token  of  the 
high  esteem  in  which  she  was  held.  The 
marriage  of  Len  Hahn  and  Miss  Sophia 
Seagert  took  place  at  the  German  Luth- 
eran church.  David  McWilliams  and 
wife  visited  in  New  Orleans.  Eugene 
Flagler  and  John  Potter,  Jr.,  purchased 
the  hardware  store  of  John  Potter.  Dr. 
H.  G.  Thole,  after  a  long  illness  came 
to  his  death.  He  had  for  a  number  of 
years  been  a  practicing  physician  of  the 
homoepathic  school,  and  made  a  suc- 
cess of  his  profession.  The  young  peo- 
ple, prior  to  the  spring  election,  held 
a  temperance  meeting,  the  several 
churches  joming.  C.  R.  Tombaugh, 
John  Smith  and  Wm.  II.  Ketchem  ora- 
ted, and  Misses  Kelly  and  Conant  read 
appropriate  selections.  Several  young 
ladies  organized  an  anti-slang  society. 

The  successful  candidates  in  the  elec- 
tion of  village  trustees  for  the  year 
18K5  r.  were  O.  W.  Pollard.  A.  Brubaker 
and  R.  P.  Morgan,  Jr.  C.  L.  Palmer 
was  elected  clerk,  and  Spencer  Eldredge 
was  elected  police  magistrate.  O.  W. 
pollard,  president;  Edward  McWil- 
liams, Chas.  Baker,  R.  P.  Morgan,  Jr., 
('..].  Judd.  A.  Brubaker  and  C.  L.  Pal- 


78 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


mer,  clerk,  constituted,  the  board  for 
the  year  named.  John  G.  Fox  served 
as  marshal,  and  Alex.  McKay  per- 
formed the  duties  of  treasurer. 

The  board  granted  Miller  Bros,  per- 
mission to  erect  wooden  buildings  in 
fire  limits.  A  very  strict  amendment 
to  Chapter  50,  regulating  the  selling  of 
liquor  by  druggists,  was  passed.  The 
fire  ordinance  was  amended  so  that 
wooden  buildings  could  be  erected  on 
lots  from  1  to  12  in  block  15,  provided 
they  were  covered  by  corrogated  iron. 
Eesolutions  instructing  street  and  alley 
committee  to  keep  the  well  back  of  the 
Mc^'illiams  block  in  good  condition. 
The  appropriation  for  this  year  was 
83,000.  It  was  durmg  1885  that  one 
Jidius  T.  Edwin  came  to  town,  rented 
the  Gould  store,  now  owned  by  Phillip 
"Weicker,  and  opened  a  peddlers  outfit 
of  jewelry,  silverware,  etc..  etc.  Edwin 
procured  a  license  from  the  village 
clerk.  After  thi^,  however,  the  mer- 
chants of  the  village  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  their  rights  were  being 
trespassed  upon,  and  they  made  a  com- 
plaint to  the  village  board,  who  then 
closed  Edwin  up.  This  seems  to  have 
aroused  Edwin's  ire  and  he  sued  O.  W. 
Pollard,  Richard  P.  Morgan,  Jr.,  Curtis 
J.  Judd,  Ed.  McWilliams.  Chas.  L. 
Palmer  and  John  G.  Fox,  all  village  of- 
ficers, for  .S10,000  damages.  The  case 
was  tried  in  the  circuit  court  in  August 
and  the  officers  were  beaten,  but  not 
badly.  Edwin  got  one  cent  damages, 
and  costs  were  put  upon  the  defend- 
ants. The  defendants,  however,  were 
virtually  acting  for  the  village,  and  the 
village  paid  the  costs,  which  amounted 
to  about  SoO().  The  occurrance  caused 
considerable  excitement  at  the  time, 
and  Avas  the  soiirce  of  m\ich  amuse- 
ment and  chafiing  at  the  expense  of  the 
men  sued.  They  only  did  what  they 
thought  was  for  the  best  interests  of 


the  home    merchants — they  were  pro- 
tectionists. 

There  was  .S2,053.4y  cents  in  the  treas- 
ury at  the  close  of  the  year.  The  prin- 
cipal local  events  we  are  forced  to  omit^ 
being  unable  to  find  any  record,  the 
files  of  all  newspapers  published  in 
Dwight.  having  been  destroyed  by  the 
fire  of  October,  1891. 

Miss  Minnie  Cook,  of  Wilmington, 
111.,  was  united  in  marriage  to  Dr.  C.  H. 
Barr,  March  11,  1884,  at  the  brides 
home. 

One  happy  marriage  left  out  in  the 
regulay  place  occurred  in  1879,  that  of 
Miss  Dora  Carr  to  "Wm.  Losee. 

1886-7. 

At  the  spring  municipal  election,  the 
no-license  candidates  were  elected  by 
an  average  majority  of  about  thirty.  E. 
T.  Miller,  .John  Leach  and  Frank  Ford 
were  elected  trustees,  Geo.  Baker» 
clerk;  John  Thompson,  police  magis- 
trate. The  newly  elected  officers  were 
qualified  byXotary  Public  J.  C.IIetzel. 
The  new  board  was  composed  of  Presi-* 
dent,  O.  W.  Pollard;  Trustees,  Morgan, 
Brubaker,  Ed.  McWillams.  Miller, 
Leach  and  Ford.  A.  McKay  was  elect- 
ed treasurer  again.  Elwell  Collins  was 
elected  marshal  for  the  year.  The  last 
circus  of  any  note  visited  Dwight  in 
August  of  this  year.  At  a  meeting  of 
the  village  board  held  August  18,  extra 
police  were  ajjpointed,  on  account  of 
the  large  amount  of  fruit  and  melons, 
etc..  being  stolen  from  our  citizens. 
82,000  was  appropriated  for  the  ex- 
pense of  the  village  this  year.  A.  McKay 
resigned  Nov.  9,  188t),  he  having  been 
elected  coimfy  treasurer,  and  AV.  IL 
Ketcham  was  appointed  in  his  stead. 
The  Edwin  case,  spoken  of  in  the  last 
chapter  was  supplemented  by  a  case 
for  damages  instituted  by  Mrs  Edwin, 
the  man's  wife,  for  damages.    This  was 


HISTORY  OF  DWJCxIIT,  ILLI^■OIS. 


settled  by  paying  her  attorney's  fees 
and  the  costs  of  the  case.  In  April  L. 
A.  Xaftziger  was  appointed  treasurer, 
AV.  II.  Ketcham  having  moved  to 
Kansas.  There  was  !i?2,2l)ii  left  in  the 
treasury  this  year.  This  was  a  remark- 
ably quiet  year.  We  are  at  a  loss  for 
the  local  events  for  the  same  rea- 
son as  last  year. 

Mr.  Isaac  AVheatley  died  on  Oct.  (>, 
188H.    He  was  an  excellent  citizen,  and 
served  faithfully  in   the   105th  Illinois 
''Volunteer  Infantry  during  the  war. 

1887-8-9-90. 

At  the  spring  election  two  no-license 
aldermen  were  elected  by  only  two  ma- 
jority—a very  close  call,  and  one  of  the 
candidates,  A.  13rubaker,  was  defeated 
by  Geo.  X.  Flagler  by  five  majority. 
The  candidates  were:  Xo-license — A. 
Brubaker,  J.  A.  Spencer,  C.  M.  Baker. 
License — John  Geis,  John  Dennehe, 
Geo.  N.  Flagler.  John  Smith  was  the 
no-license  candidate  for  clerk  and  de- 
feated Jas.  Kelagher  by  10  majority. 
The  board  was  composed  of  C.  M. 
Baker,  president;  trustees.  Leach, 
Ford,  E.  T.  Miller,  Spencer,  Flagler. 
This  election  was  the  closest  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  and  only  spiirred  the  no- 
license  people  on  to  renewed  action.  J. 
11  Parsons  was  elected  village  treasurer 
this  year,and  immediately  qualitied  and 
presented  his  bond.  James  B.  Austin 
was  elected  marshall  for  the  yea.  The 
('.  c^  A.  road  was  granted  permission  to 
erect  their  present  water  tank.  John  II. 
Smith  resigned  as  clerk  to  take  effect 
July  1,  he  moving  to  Kansa.s  J.  W.  Bak- 
er was  elected  by  the  Board  to  serve  out 
the  unexi)ired  term  of  Mr.  Smith.  This 
year  the  4th  of  July  was  celebrated  in 
a  gorgeous  manner.  There  was  quite  a 
number  of  cases  of  scarlet  fever  in  town- 
in  August  and  the  board  ordered  the 
names  of  the  atHicted   to  be   published 


in  the  Uwigiit  Stau  as  a  precautionary 
measure.  The  amount  appropriated 
this  year  was  !?2,500.  A  tire  company 
of  twenty  members  was  organized  this 
year.  Isaac  Perry  was  elected  lirst  as- 
sistant chief  and  Phillip  Eyer  second 
assistant.  During  the  year  the  present 
hose  carts  and  hook  and  ladder  truck 
were  purchased,  and  one  double  crank 
hand  engine,  300  feet  of  hose,  rotary 
steam  pump,  and  everything  complete 
for  a  very  good  fire  outfit.  The  total 
cost  was  !?1,945. 

The  handsonxe  Ilagerty  block  was 
built  in  1889,  which  was  certainly  a  very 
valuable  improvement  to  Dwight.  The 
first  stone  sidewalk  in  Dwight  was  laid 
by  the  Hagerty  brothers  at  this  time. 

During  this  year,  our  quiet  village 
was  thrown  into  a  frenzy  by  a  murder. 
Otto  Boigk  shot  A.  Strufe  in  the  lat- 
ter"s  home  in  Dwight.  Boigk  was  a^ 
son-in-law  of  Strufe's,  and  he  and  the 
father-in-law  did  not  get  on  the  best, 
on  account  of  family  troubles.  Mrs. 
Boigk  went  home  to  live  and  Boigk 
went  to  see  her  but  was  refused  admit- 
tance. He  went  away  and  purchased  a 
revolver  at  one  of  the  hardware  stores 
and  went  to  the  house  again.  It  was  at 
this  time,  during  a  quarrel,  that  Boigk's 
anger  overcame  him,  and  he  shot  Strufe 
in  the  stomach.  From  the  wound  re- 
ceived Strufe  died  the  next  day. 
Boigk  attemi)ted  to  escape,  but  was 
caught  by  John  Lightholder  near  Odell 
and  brought  back.  Lightholder  got  a 
reward  of  .S25.  Boigk  was  given  a  pre- 
liminary hearing  before  Squire  Thcmip- 
son  and  bound  over  to  the  grand  jury 
and  taken  to  the  county  jail  in  Pontiac. 
The  trial  was  reached  later,  and  lioigk  , 
was  convicted  of  manslaughter  and  sen- 
tenced to  two  years  in  Joliet  peniten- 
tiary. Some  thought  the  sentence  light 
while  others  thought  otherwise. 

The   vole  in   the    spring  election    of 


80 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


1888  resulted  in  the  election  of  C.  J. 
Judd,  no-license,  for  president  of  the 
the  board,  by  a  majority  of  four  votes, 
over  Eugene  Flagler— 12)5  to  122.  D.  B. 
Stevens  and  Jessie  Dieffenbaugh,  no 
license,  defeated  John  Dennehe  and 
John  Geis,  and  as  between  W.  H.  Tay- 
lor, no-license,  and  Chas.  Crandall,  the 
result  was  a  tie— 125  each.  The  latter 
was  decided  by  drawing  lots — Crandall 
winning.  For  clerk  L.  A.  Naffziger  de- 
feated J.  C.  Buchanan  by  eleven  ma- 
jority. The  new  board  now  stood  four 
no-license  and  two  for  license,  with  a 
no-license  president.  This  was  the 
closest  call  in  a  number  of  years  before 
or  since.  This  was  the  first  election  un- 
der the  changed  state  law,  and  the 
president  of  the  board  was  elected  di- 
rect by  the  people  instead  of  by  the 
trustees,  and  the  board  was  increased 
to  seven  thereby,  and  C.  J.  Judd  was 
the  first  president  of  the  village.  Jas. 
B.  Austin  was  again  elected  marshal, 
police  and  night  watchman,  and  he  was 
required  to  clean  crossings  and  light 
the  lamps— all  for  $40  a  month.  J.  B. 
Parsons  was  again  elected  treasurer. 
This  year  one  of  the  excitable  events 
was  the  row  the  marshal  had  with  John 
Murphy.  Murphy  sued  Austin  and  a 
bill  for  costs  of  .$220.85  was  not  allowed. 
$2,600  was  the  amount  appropriated 
for  the  year.  During  tnis  year  the  li- 
cense was  given  free  in  many  cases 
where  the  entertainments  were  given 
iinder  the  auspices  of  home  societies. 
It  was  during  this  year  that  the  present 
license  ordinances— Chapters  63  and  64 
—were  passed.  There  were  $2,539.10 
left  in  the  village  treasury  at  the  end 
of  the  fiscal  year. 

At  the  si)ring  municipal   election  in 

1889  the  vote  cast  was  larger  and 
showed  the  population  of  Dwight  was 
increasing  rapidly.  The  total  vote  cast 
was  272.    C.   J.   Judd,  no-license,    and 


Eugene  Flagler,  license,  were  the  can- 
didates for  president  again,  the  former 
receiving  141  votes  and  the  latter  128. 
For  trustees  Jens  Knudsen,  F.  A. 
Lakin  and  L.  H.  Martin — no-license — 
opposed  Jared  Williams,  John  Geis, 
and  "NVm.  Walker — license.  The 
former  were  elected  by  from  ten  to 
twelve  majority.  It  was  a  hard  fought 
battle.  The  no-license  candidate  for 
clerk,  L.  A.  Naffziger,  was  defeated  by 
L.  D.  Plummer,  the  vote  standing  133 
to  136.  The  new  board  was  as  follows:  \ 
President,  C.  J.  Judd;  trustees,  D.  B. 
Stevens,  Jessie  Diffenbaugh,  Charles 
Crandall,  Jens  Knudsen,  F.  A.  Lakin, 
L.  H.  Martin;  clerk,  L.  D.  Plummer. 
This  was  really  the  last  hard  fought 
election  for  license.  The  business  of 
the  village  went  along  about  as  usual. 

It  was  during  this  year  that  L.  D. 
Plummer,  who  had  been  forman  with 
the  North  Star,  started  the  Dwight 
Herald,  which  liourished  for  a  while. 
C.  A.  Stuck  had  purchased  the  Dwight 
Star  the  year  before  and  had  changed 
the  name  to  North  Star,  which  was  not 
relished  by  many  of  our  citizens,  and 
Plummer  was  requested  to  change  the 
name  of  his  paper  and  he  did.  from 
Dwight  Herald  to  Dwight  Star  and 
Herald,  at  the  same  time  assuming  the 
original  volume  and  number,  it  being- 
claimed  that  Stuck  had  no  right  to  it 
after  having  dropped  the  original  name 
Chas.  Palmer,  the  original  owner  and 
founder  of  the  Dwight  Star,  was  of  the 
same  opinion  and  wrote  a  long  letter 
requesting  Plummer  to  make  the 
change  and  thereby  pepetuate  the 
original  name.  As  before  stated  this 
was  done,  and  thus  the  ])resent  name. 
We  make  this  statement  so  that  many 
who  have  wondered  at  the  C(mibination 
of  names  may  understand  the  circum- 
stances. 

L.  A.  NalTziger  was  a]ii)()inted  village 


Hagerty   Block,    East  Side. 


Dwight    Passenger    Depot. 

(Keeley  ffall  in  ttje  distance, ) 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


81 


treasurer,  and  James  B.  Austin  was 
again  elected  marshal,  etc.  During  this 
year  the  business  of  the  Leslie  E. 
Keeley  Co.  forged  ahead  wonderfully, 
and  ])eople  generally,  after  viewing  the 
results,  began  to  have  confidence  in 
the  great  discovery  of  our  townsman, 
which  was  destined  to  revolutionize  the 
world  on  the  question  of  inebriety  be- 
ing a  curable  disease.  The  company 
built  a  line  fire-firoof  vault  and  made 
other  improvements  during  the  year. 
Only  81,800  were  appropriated  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  village  this  year, 
there  being  a  large  balance  in  the  treas- 
ury. II.  L.  Ilagerty  laid  a  stone  side- 
walk in  front  of  the  handsome  Ilagerty 
block,  which  was  built  the  year  prior. 
]Mrs.  II.  Cornell  built  an  addition  to  her 
hi)tel  i)roperty  on  West  street.  The 
question  of  electric  lights  was  first 
brought  up  this  year.  There  were 
!s;2, 181.55  remaining  in  the  treasury  at 
the  end  of  fiscal  year  in  1890. 

As  the  time  came  around  for  the 
village  election  in  1890,  a  daily  paper 
was  issued  under  the  management  of 
'"NV.  (i.  Dustin,  who  had  previously  edit- 
ed the  Dwight  Star  and  IIe.iald  with  L. 
I).  Plummer.  The  paper  was  called  The 
Messenger  and  was  condixcted  on  a  more 
conservative  plan  than  muicipal  election 
papers  had  been  in  former  years.  The 
management  proved  to  the  voters  that 
it  was  for  their  financial  as  well  as  moral 
interests  not  to  have  saloons  in  our 
midst.  There  was  no  personal  abuse  and 
the  paper  received  a  warm  support 
from  the  business  men.  The  result  was 
that  there  was  a  small  landslide,  every 
no-license  candidate  being  elected  by 
about  sixty  majority.  C.  J.  Judd's  care- 
ful management  of  municipal  affairs 
made  him  the  logical  candidate  for 
president.  John  Geis  was  nominated 
in  op])osition.  The  former  was  elected 
by    fifty  one    majority.     Jesse    Diffen- 


baugh,  J.  B.  Bell  and  S&muel  Lower 
were  the  no-license'  candidates  for 
trustees,  against  Ed.  Dittus,  Daniel 
Morris  and  11.  E.  Seigert.  The  former 
were  elected  by  5t),  59  and  55  majorities, 
respectively.  Andrew  T.  Doherty  was 
elected  clerk  over  Geo.  L.  Kern  by  73 
majority.  This  was  the  last  village 
election  where  the  lines  were  tightly 
drawn  on  the  license  or  no-license  ques- 

.  tion,  many  of  the  best  men  in  the  license 
party  acknowledging  that  Dwight  was 
much  better  oft'  without  saloons,  and  at 
the  present  time  many  of  our  influen- 
tial citizens  who  were  formerly  license 
men,  are  now  staid  workers  on  the 
other  side,  and  never  want  to  see 
Dwight  cursed  with  saloons.  As  soon 
as  this  fact  was  apparent  the  no-license 
men  joined  hands  with  them  and  a 
number  have  served  the  city  faithfully 
and  well  as  trustees.  John  Thompson 
was  again  elected  police  magistrate. 
His  majority  was  73.  This  board  went 
to  work  with  a  will.  The  village  was 
fast  becoming  a  city  and  must  assume 
city  ways.  Improvements  were  needed. 
The  old  fashioned  oil  street  lamps  didn't 
give  near  as  good  lights  as  they  used  to, 
and  something  had  to  be  done.    The 

.  new  board  was:  president,  ('.  J.  Judd; 
trustees,  J.  B.  Bell,  Jesse  Diflenbaugh, 
Jens  Knudsen,  F.  A.  Lakin,  Samuel 
Lower  and  L.  H.  Martin.  L.  A.  Naffzi- 
ger  was  again  appointed  treasurer,  and 
Jas.  B.  Austin  marshal.  Decoration  day 
was  duly  celebrated,  probably  more 
generally  than  heretofore  on  account  of 
a  Post  of  the  (irand  Army  of  the  Re- 
l)ublic  being  organized;  also  a  Sons  of 
Veterans  Camp  and  Woman's  Relief 
Corps.  The  village  board  attended  in 
a  body.  Rev.  Eignus  delivered  a  s])len- 
did  oration,  after  which  the  procession 
marched  to  the  different  cemetries  and 
decorated  the  graves  of  the  fallen 
heroes.  The  matter  of  sewers  for  Dwight 


\ 


82 


HISTORY  OF  D WIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


first  came  up  at  a  meeting  of  the  tillage 
board,  July  22,  1890.  A  petition  by  C. 
L.  Rbmberger  and.  others,  asking  an  ap- 
propriation of  $500  to  defray  the  ex- 
pense of  surveys,  etc.,  was  read.  It  was 
also  about  this  time  that  the  question 
of  electric  lights  and  water  works  be- 
gan to  be  agitated,  and  action  regarding 
the  sewer  matter  was  deferred.  August 
21,  1890,  a  public  meeting  was  held, 
which  unanimously  decided,  "That  it  is 
thfe  public  sentiment  of  this  meeting 
that  an  electric  light  system  be  adopted 
for  the  village  of  Dwight."  At  a  meet- 
ing of  the  village  board  August  2r>,  a 
resolution  was  passed  au.th'brizing  the 
judiciary  committee  to  make  a  contract 
for  electric  street  lighting  for  five 
years,  the  cost  not  to  exceed  .f  720  a 
year.  The  resolution  was  passed.  This 
year  .$2,900  was  appropriated  for  the 
city's  needs.  September  12  propositions 
were  received  by  the  village  board  from 
electric  light  companies.  The  Thomp- 
son-Houston company  got  the  contract, 
and  an  ordinance  was  passed  Sept.  23, 
giving  a  franchise  for  five  years.  The 
Star  and  Herald  ofiice  was  moved 
to  the  Zimmerman  building  on  Mazon 
avenue  and  the  building  from  which 
the  office  was  moved  was  sold  ,by  the 
Leslie  E,  Keeley  Co.,  and  moved  to 
Seminole  street  where  it  now  stands. 
Dec.  9  The  Leslie  E.  Keeley  Co.  made 


application  to  the  board  for  a  permit  to 
build  a  brick  hotel  on  "West  street  (the 
present  Livingston ).  The  permit  was 
granted  and  work  commenced  almost 
immediately,  and  hurried  to  a  finish. 
This  might  have  been  said  to  have  been 
the  commencement  of  Dwight's  first 
and  last  "boom."  A  strong  petition 
was  presented  to  the  board  to  do  away 
with  requiring  home  entertainments  to 
pay  license,  but  it  came  to  naught.  The 
franchise  for  electric  lighting  was  as- 
signed to  II.  E.  Seigert,  Feb.  10,  1891. 
The  balance  on  hand  at  the  end 
of  the  fiscal  year  was  $2,445.35.  At 
this  time  in  the  "History  of  D wight," 
we  arrive  at  the  time  when  all  was  ex- 
citement and  bustle.  The  remarkable 
success  of  the  Keeley  tceatment  was 
known  the  world  over,  and  our  city 
was  filled  with  strangers.  As  we  have 
previously  written,  we  were  vinable  to 
get  many  of  the  local  events  of  the  past 
fev/  years  on  account  of  all  files  of  local 
papers  being  destroyed  by  fire  Oct.  10, 
1891.  In  Nov.  1890  A.  E.  Zimmerman, 
a  printer  who  had  been  employed  by  C. 
A.  Stuck,  got  possession  of  the  D wight 
Star  and  Herald  ofiice,  and  we  have 
the  files  from  that  time  and  therefore 
give  the  principal  local  events  from 
that  time  to  Jan.  1,  1895— certainly  the 
most  important  history  of  our  city. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLIJJOIS. 


83 


CHAPTER  Vll. 

FROM   NOV.    1890  TO  JAN.    I,    1892.      CULLED   FROM   DWIGHT   STAR   AND 

HERALD. 


The  tirst  issue  of  the  Star  and 
Herald  under  the  management  of  A . 
K .  Zimmerman  was  Nov.  15,  1890.  In 
October  1S90  Dr.  Houston  and  family 
moved  to  Joliet,  Dr.  Qakshett  buying 
his  practice  in  Uwight.  The  C.  &  A. 
did  a  business  of  $74,000  from  their 
Dwight  ollice.  Robt.  Mayes  looses  two 
fingers  while  running  a  circular  saw  in 
Joliet.  The  K.  P.  annual  ball  Thanks- 
giving was  a  great  success.  The  coal 
shaft  ghost  stalked  through  Dwight. 
Miss  Jones  gives  an  elaborate  enter- 
tainment under  the  auspices  of  theG. 
A.  R.  John  II.  Finch,  of  Nevada, 
half  brother  of  Freeman  Spencer,  died 
at  the  age  of  22 .  The  Ys  gave  a  very 
tine  entertainment  consisting  of  fan 
and  maypole  drill,  recitations  and 
music.  "NV.  G.  Dustin  superintended 
tlie  drill,  and  after  the  entertainment 
the  young  ladies  presented  him  with  a 
liandsome  rocker.  Orrin  Gallup  sells 
Ills  Union  farm  to  Matthew  Ross.  J. 
(r.  Strong  sells  210  acres  known  as  the 
Ilurlbut  farm.  Steven  Knudsen  buys 
the,  Duesler  farm  in  liound  Grove. 
Will  Losee  buys  a  three  legged  chicken. 
(Jene  Baker,  formerly  of  Dwight,  is 
elected  county  treasurer.  Frank  Stuck, 
brother  of  the  editor  of  the  North  Star, 
met  a  horrible  death  at  the  8-1  crossing. 
He  jumped   from  tlie    Hummer,  which 


was  going  about  thirty  miles  an  hour, 
and  was  drawn  under  the  wheels  and 
instantly  killed.  Miss  Katie  Williams 
and  W.  H.  Luther  were  married  Nov. 
25,  1-890.  Rev.  F.  W.  Merrell  preached 
the  Thanksgiving  sermon.  Henry  Turn- 
baugh  and  family  moved  to  Iowa. 
John  C.  George  luoved  to  Pontiac,  hav- 
ing been  elected  county  clerk.  Katie 
Ida  McCarter  dies  at  the  age  of  15 
years.  A  lecture  course  under  the  aus- 
pices of  the  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.  was  a  fea- 
ture of  the  winter's  entertainments. 
Dr.  Hansen,  of  Chicago,  ojiened  the 
course  with  a  very  interesting  lecture  . 
Rev.  Dr.  McClish  delivers  his  splendid 
lecture  on  "Man"  at  M.  E.  church. 
Henry  C.  Hollmeyer  diedj  at  the  age  of 
(55  years  and  11  days.  Mrs.  Lillian  Ray 
Stuck,  wife  of  the  editor  of  the  North 
Star,  dies  at  the  age  of  2t)  years,  John- 
nie George  goes  to  work  for  his  father 
in  the  county  clerk's  otlice.  L.  D.  Plum- 
mer  tinds  employment  in  Chicago  and 
moves  to  that  city.  Sadie  Earnhardt 
dies  at  the  age  of  5  years  and  7  months. 
S.  T.  K.  Prime  meets  with  a  great  re- 
ception during  liis  visit  east.  James 
Paul,  an  old  and  respected  citizen,  died 
quite  suddenly  Dec.  (>,  1890,  at  the  age 
83.  Lillie  Kate  Harding  dies  at  the  age 
of  7  years.  N.  N.  Mickelson  builds  a 
handsome  new  residence.    The  Christ- 


84 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLIXOTS. 


mas  holidays  in  1890  were  duly  cele- 
brated in  Dwight,  and  prosperity  and 
good  will  seemed  to  predominate. 

The  year  1891  is  one  which  will  long 
be  remembered  by  the  residents.  It 
was  this  year  that  the  little  prairie  city 
sprang  into  prominence  the  world  over 
on  account  of  the  great  discovery  of 
Dr!  Leslie  E.  Keeley.  "Dwight"  and 
"Keeley"  became  household  words  and 
the  fame  of  our  honored  townsman  was 
great.  The  year  was  the  time  of 
many  of  the  substantial  improve- 
ments and  remarkable  growth  in  popu- 
lation. Many  sensible  acts  and  many 
foolish  ones  adorn  the  history  of  the 
year.  The  results  of  the  boom  were 
good  and  bad.  Many  people  made  mon- 
ey, and  some  lost.  The  fault  lay  with 
the  "boom,"  and  no  individual  should 
be  charged  up  with  any  bad  results.  It 
was  like  all  booms.  Some  people  lost 
their  heads  and  their  pocket-books, 
others,  more  cool-headed  and  exper- 
ienced, took  advantage  of  circumstan- 
ces and  made  money.  The  price  of 
property  went  away  above  reason  and 
still  there  were  plenty  of  buyers  and 
sellers.  The  last  owner  got  left  for  the 
time  being.  After  the  boom  subsided, 
as  it  were,  peoi)le  began  to  count  the 
cost,  but  found  it  not  great.  "While  a 
few  individuals  lost,  Dwight  had  about 
700  more  poptilaticm,  and  was  much  im- 
])r()ved  by  the  addition  of  fine  brick 
blocks,  an  elegant  depot,  ojiera  house, 
hotels  and  many  handsome,  modern, 
comfortable  dwellings.  Public  impi'ove- 
ments,  such  as  water  works,  electric 
lights,  etc.,  were  here  to  stay.  So  much 
for  1891  in  this  line. 

Among  the  many  interesting  items  we 
note  the  following.  Col.  and  Mrs.  J.  li. 
Parsons  celebrated  their  tenth  wedding 
anniversary.  J.  ('.  Lewis'  mother  dies 
in  New  York.  Leta  Sheldon,  of  Cam- 
pus,  dies.      "Xationa!     Keeley    Club" 


organized,  and  constitution  and  by- 
laws adopted.  This  was  probably  the 
first  real  organization,  although  the  pa- 
tients had  organized  locally  at  "NV.  M. 
Weese's  blacksmith  shop  some  time  be- 
fore. The  objects  are  to  more  closely 
ally  the  patients  and  help  in  lifting  up 
fallen  humanity.  Under  the  name  of 
"Keeley  League"  it  is  now  one  of  the 
solid  temperance  organizations  of  the 
world,  and  the  membership  numbe/s 
about  25,000.  Thus  another  national 
organization  sprung  into  existence  from 
our  prairie  city.  The  masonic  installa- 
tion and  banquet  was  a  g^eat  affair  this 
year.  Early  in  the  year  the  electric 
light  was  turned  on  for  the  first  time  in 
Dwight,  and  it  was  highly  appreciated 
after  using  the  old  oil  street  lamps  for 
years.  Howard  Iluey  was  made  agent 
of  the  C.  A.  road  liei-e.  Mrs.  Steven  A. 
Goodman  died  Jan.  12  of  heart  disease. 
A  successful  revival  was  held  in  the  M. 
E.  church  in  January.  The  first  ])ublic 
joint  installation  of  the  G.  A..II.,  W. 
Pi.  C.  and  S.  of  V.  took  place  in  Jan- 
uary and  was  very  successful.  The  or- 
ganizations .  have  followed  the  same 
course  since,  and  are  in  splendid  condi- 
tion at  the  close  of  this  history.  The 
Star  and  Hekald  publishes  inter- 
views with  citizens  regarding  electric 
lights  and  they  are  considered  good. 
Albert  Fisk  and  Miss  lowing  were  mar- 
ried Jan.  23.  Len  Ilahn  and  Gus  Keim 
dissolve  partnership  in  the  meat  busi- 
ness, and  the  latter  returns  to  his  ohl 
home  in  Ottawa,  111.  J.  C.  Lewis  buys 
the  lletzel  ]iro]:erty.  "\V.  G.  Dustin 
purchased  a  half  interest  in  the  Stak 
AND  Heuai.d  Feb.  15, 1891,  and  became 
editor,  which  position  he  has  held  ever 
since.  Frank  Punting  and  Gertrude  M. 
llaynes  were  united  in  marriage  Feb.lo. 
Thomas  Gogley  and  Lizzie  Hanlon  were 
married.  D.  McWilliams  jmrchased 
the  .lames  C.  Spencer   farm   just  in  the 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS.  85 


edge  of  Dwight,  containing  473  acres, 
for  .$25,000  cash.  It  is  known  as  the 
"Prince  of  Wales  farm."  F.  A.  Haise 
buys  the  Cleveland  property  and  erects 
a  handsome  residence.  The  order  of 
Eastern  Star  becomes  an  important  so- 
ciety of  Dwight.  Mrs.  Anna  K.  Rutan 
and  "W.  E.  Finch  were  married  in  Chi- 
cago. Miss  Maggie  Sloan  dies  Feb.  17. 
Mrs.  De  Voir,  of  Bloomington,  and  Dr. 
M.  McLane  were  married.  The  first 
annual  "write-up"  of  Dwight  appeared 
in  the  Star  and  Herald  of  Feb.  20. 
The  issue  consisted  of  twelve  pages 
and  nearly  every  business  man  of 
Dwight  was  represented.  Five  thous- 
and of  these  papers  were  sent  over  the 
country,  and  attracted  much  attention 
to  Dwight.  The  edition  was  illustrated. 
The  "Accommodation"  only  runs  to 
Dwight.  Simon  Nelson  freezes  to  death 
while  intoxicated.  Memorial  services 
to  the  memory  of  W.  T.  Sherman  were 
held  in  M.  E.  church  in  February. 
Robt.  Martin  moves  to  town.  B.  A. 
Buck  purchases  the  Kenyon  homestead 
property.  Losee  &  Brown  purchased 
the  business  of  Will  Losee.  Albert 
Barr  and  Chet  Gould  open  a  steam 
laundry  next  to  the  Star  and  Her- 
ald office.  The  Chicago  Tribune  be- 
gan to  open  its  columes  to  any  one  who 
has  taken  the  Keeley  cure  to  testify  to 
the  facts  regarding  the  the  cure.  Dr. 
Milton  R  Keeley  and  Miss  Jennie 
Buckingham  were  married  Tuesday, 
March  10,  at  the  home  of  the  bride's 
parents  at  Decatur,  111.  Annie  Lower 
and  Kate  Brown  form  a  partnership  for 
dressmaking.  Mr.  Steven  Parmenter 
dies  suddenly.  Will  Losee  buys  a  half 
interest  in  Hans  Rosendall's  cigar 
store.  Augusta  Kern  and  F.  B.  Dough- 
ty marry.  "Daniel  Gallup  dies  at  l^omo- 
na,  Cal.  Mrs.  Leach,  mother  of  John 
Leach,  dies  March  27.  Sarah  Rielly  and 
Gus    Lawson    are    married.    Lida   M. 


Menaugh  and  T.  E.  Gillispie  follow 
suit.  Roller  skating  was  a  "craze." 
Mrs.  Lizzie  Travers,  only  daughter  of 
Geo.  Kepplinger,  dies.  A  public  meet- 
was  held  April  10  to  agree  or  disagree 
on  a  union  ticket  for  municipal  elec 
tion,  which  was  productive  of  much 
good.  W.  G.  Dustin  was  chairman. 
Remarks  were  made  by  Col.  R.  P.  Mor- 
gan, Major  C.  J.  Judd,  Rev.  F.  W.  Mer- 
rill, C.  A.  Stuck,  G.  S.  Baker,  J.  P.  Mc- 
Williams.  A.  R.  Zimmerman,  Jesse 
Diefenbaugh,  Dr.  Rabe,  John  Geis,  J. 
B.  Bell,  James  Kelagher  and  others. 
The  meeting  resulted  in  there  being  on- 
ly one  ticket  in  the  field,  as  previously 
stated  in  this  history.  The  spring 
township  election  resulted  in  the  elec- 
tion of  E.  T.  Miller,  clerk;  James  Kel- 
agher, assessor;  Mr.  Young,  collector; 
Geo.  B.  Ketcham,  road  commissioner;  B. 
A.  Buck,  school  trustee.  At  the  munici- 
pal election  the  following  officers  were 
elected  unanimously:  John  Thompson, 
president;  W.  H.  Taylor,  D.  B.  Stevens, 
and  John  Leach,  trustees;  Andrew 
Doherty,  clerk.  Dr.  Palm  was  elected 
president  of  the  school  broard  and  John 
Pettett,  John  Geis  and  J.  R.  Oughton 
members.  Sam  Lower  demolishes  the 
old  blacksmith  shop  on  Mazon  avenue 
and  erects  the  handsome  Pennsylvania 
House.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  A.  Lakin 
move  to  Sandwich,  111.  W.  H.  Cool  is 
made  C.  &  A.  agent  at  Dwight.  Thos. 
Weldon  purchases  the  Deale  property 
on  Seminole  street.  Major  C.  J.  Judd 
retires  from  the  village  board,  having 
served  faithfully  in  every  capacity  for 
ten  years.  The  first  banquet  ever  given 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Bi-Chloride  of 
Gold  Club  was  in  an  Alton  dining  car 
April  20,  1891.  Miss  Kunigunda  Euzner 
and  Carl  Tock  were  married  April  19. 
Hetzel  &  Romberger  dissolved  partner- 
ship, and  the  Hetzels,  who  were  so  long 
residents  of  Dwight,  left  for  their  fu- 


86 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


ture  home  in  Englewood,  III.  Geo.  V>\ 
Patton  delivers  the  annual  address  to 
the  Odd  Fellows .  Real  estate  transfers 
were  made  right  and  left  at  right  and 
left  prices.  Edward  Kemeys  Henry  is 
buried  in  Dwight  April  28.  Miss  Em- 
ma T.  Patterson  dies  at  the  age  of  20 
years.  Hershal  Hagerty  weighs  mail 
for  the  government.  James  Austin  re- 
tires from  the  office  '  of  marshal 
and  Robt.  Orr  took  his  place  and  occu- 
pies the  position  yet.  The  handsome 
"Livingston*'  was  opened  in  May.  De- 
Witt  Miller  and  Ame  Orr  open  a  res- 
taurant. Edward  and  James  McWil- 
liams  cross  the  ocean.  David  McWil- 
liams  breaks  ground  for  his  handsome 
residence.  The  Leslie  E.  Keeley  Go's 
offices  are  moved  into  the  opera  house, 
which  they  purchased,  and  J.  D. 
Ketcham  purchased  the  former  office, 
and  ground  was  broke  for  the  present 
handsome  laboratory.  Dwight  base  ball 
team  defeated  the  Wilmingtons.  The 
Keeley  League  meets  in  Kepplinger's 
hall  in  May.  Mrs.  J.  M.  Reeder  died 
and  is  buried  in  Highland  township.  O. 
B.  Stanton  buys  the  lease  of  The 
Livingston  of  L.  J.  Trunnell.  The 
graduating  class  motto  tor  "Itl  was 
'•Purity,"  and  the  names  of  the  gradu- 
ates were  as  follows:  Misses  Maggie 
Kern,  Mildred  Gould,  R.  May  Morris, 
Minnie  E.  Rarr,  Marcella  Ferguson  and 
Mr.  Fred  de  Clercq.  Prof.  Fisk  was 
principal  and  Miss  Krohn  assistant. 
Rev.  P.  M.  France  presented  the  diplo- 
mas. May  28  a  business  men's  meet- 
ing was  held  in  the  town  house  and  a 
permanent  committee  consisting  of  the 
following  gentlemen  as  representatives 
of  the  people  were  elected:  C.  L.  Rom- 
berger,  chairman;  J.  C.  Lewis,  S.  T.  K. 
I'rime,  R.  A.  I'.uck  and  David  McWil- 
liams.  This  committee  accomplished 
much  good  for  Dwight,  and  their  suc- 
cessful efforts  we;e  highly  appreciated. 


The  next  evening  a  monster  meeting 
was  held  in  Kepplinger's  Hall  presided 
over  by  S.  T.  K.  Prime.  Among  the 
speakers  were  Dr.  Keeley  and  Hon.  O. 
W.  Pollard.  This  was  the  most  en- 
thusiastic meeting  ever  held  in  Dwight. 
It's  final  results  were  good,  but  nothing 
as  to  what  was  expected.  A  permanent 
JJusiness  Men's  Association  was  organ- 
ized in  May.  Another  important  meet- 
ing was  held  about  this  time,  the  re- 
sults of  which  will  stand  as  monument 
for  all  time  to  come.  We  refer  to  the 
visit  of  the  Chicago  &  Alton  railroad 
officials  and  a  meeting  of  prominent 
citizens  with  them  in  their  private  car. 
The  officials  present  were  T.  R.  Rlack- 
stone,  president;  C.  H.  Chappell,  gen- 
eral manager;  T.  M.  Bates,  superinten- 
dent of  transportation;  K.  F.  Rooth, 
chief  engineer;  O.  M.  Richards,  superin- 
tendent; John  R.  Drake,  director.  The 
citizens  of  Dwight  present  were  the 
citizens  committee  as  previoiisly  men- 
tioned and  Dr.  Leslie  E.  Keeley,  Major 
C.  J.  Judd,  J.  R.  Oughton,  Hon.  O.  W. 
Pollard,  Col.  R.  P.  Morgan  and  W.  G. 
Dustin.  Th3  permanent  result  of  this 
meeting  is  the  handsome  new  depot. 
There  is  none  nicer  in  the  state.  Deco- 
ration Day  was  duly  celebrated.  Rev. 
P.  M.  France  delivered  the  address. 
Miss  Edith  Kneeland  and  Dr.  O.  P. 
Hanson  marry.  Miss  Kate  Steichen 
and  N.  L.  Mamer  do  the  same  thing. 
Friday  night,  June  12,  was  the  great 
"JoUilication"  in  west  side  park.  The 
citizens  committee  make  their  report, 
tiie  thirty  one  acre  park  was  pre- 
sented and  the  band  played  "Annie 
Hooney,"  and  everybody  was  happy. 
Dwight  had  been  in  an  uproar  some 
time.  Outsiders  tried  every  way  to  get 
The  Leslie  F.  Keeley  Co.  to  move  away, 
but  the  company  purchased  the  Ilahn 
farm,  the  McPherson  house  i)roperty 
and  other   places,  and  the   people  made 


HISTORY  OF  DWJGIIT,  ILLI>J0IS. 


87 


up  their  minds  the  company  would 
stay.  John  Stern  dies  suddenly  June  8. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  village  board  June 
9,  a  resolution  was  passed  asking  (Jeo. 
('.  Morgan  to  come  to  Dwight.  He 
came  and  presented  his  views  on  water 
works,  which  would  have  been  adopted 
and  saved  the  people  lots  of  money,  only 
for  the  seltish  motives  of  some  of  those 
interested  in  making  some  money 
out  of  the  town.  The  Illinois  legisla- 
ture appropriated  $2,500  to  the  Keeley 
Institute  for  the  use  of  afflicted  people 
who  were  unable  to  pay  for  treatment. 
Eeligious  services  were  held  Sunday 
mornings  in  June  by  the  Keeley  League 
for  the  first  time.  This  beautiful  cus- 
tom has  been  continued  ever  since.  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Leslie  E.  Keeley  sailed  for 
Europe  June  24.  Hon.  J.  C.  Nicolay, 
of  Washington,  D.  C,  visits  Dwight. 
The  Keeley  League  occupy  Presby- 
terian church.  Sam  Boyer  starts  a  liv- 
ery. ( 'arl  Miller  and  Ben  Weber  visits 
faderland.  The  sub-district  convention 
Epworth  League  met  here.  Hamilton 
Spencer  meets  sudden  death  in  Chicago 
by  being  struck  by  a  cable  car.  Mrs. 
Robert  Mays  died  June  19,  after  a  long 
illness.  Miss  Delia  Butler  and  Frank 
Currier,  Mrs.  Kate  Brown  and  F.  L. 
Evans,  John  Weicker  and  Maggie 
Euzner  get  married  all  in  one  week. 
Fourth  of  July  was  celebrated  on  a  large 
scale  and  the  city  was  literally  tilled 
with  people.  Col.  Nate  A.  Reed,  Jr., 
delivered  a  patriotic  address.  The 
merchants  display  was  the  finest  ever 
in  Dwight.  Hunt  Cutting  opens  a  cigar 
store.  Miss  Lula  Harris  and  Everett 
Kenyon  marry  in  July.  Mr.  James 
Chariton  dies  suddenly  July  14  at  the 
age  of  83.  O.  ^y.  Pollard  attends  the 
funeral  of  his  mother  in  Rhode  Island. 
Bishop  Merrill  addressed  the  Keeley 
League  July  12.  James  (roodman  erects 
a  fine  residence  on  Mazon  avenue  which 


was  afterwards  purchased  by  Rev.  E 
F.  Wright,  who  resides  there  now. 
Ketcham  &  Smith,  two  young  Dwight 
men, become  large  and  enterprising  real 
estate  dealei^.  They  moved  into  their 
present  handsome  office  in  July  1891, 
and  have  built  up  a  large  business  in 
real  estate  in  all  parts  of  the  country. 
John  P.  McWilliams  lays  out  Renfrew 
addition  to  Dwight  into  blocks  and  lots. 
Elsie  Potter  and  Harry  Harrison  marry. 
Will  Ketcham  builds  a  handsome  resi- 
dence in  Renfrew — his  present  home. 
Andrew  Baker  dies  in  August.  Walter 
Scott  goes  into  the  ice  business.  W.  E. 
Fenn  builds  a  tine  residence  on  W^au- 
pansie  street.  Mrs.  Walter  Maitland, 
mother  of  Dan  Shearer,  and  Samuel 
Louden,  died  in  September,  the  former 
at  the  age  of  72,  and  the  latter  at  92. 
Rev,  France  leaves  Dwight  for  Linden, 
Whiteside  county,  where  he  accepted  a 
pastorate.  He  will  do  good  wherever 
he  goes.  Hahn  Bros,  sell  their  meat 
business  to  Rowe  &  Horr.  Morris'  bar- 
ber shop  is  burglarized  in  September. 
Tuesday  morning,  Sept.  8,  Prof.  H.  D. 
Fisk  passed  away.  He  was  a  splendid 
man.  His  widow  and  family  reside  in 
Dwight  yet.  Mrs.  Ellen  Gould  dies  in 
California  in  September.  John  H.  Smith 
marries  Miss  Lucy  Aumann  in  Kansas. 
A.  T.  Jones  erects  a  fine  residence  on 
Deleware  street.  Rev.  A.  M.  Conard 
comes  to  Dwight  M.  E.  church,  and 
Rev.  F.  W.  Merrill  goes  to  Rock  Island. 
Miss  Mary  Weller  and  Frank  Lower  are 
married  in  September.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Thos.  Weldon  celebrated  their  twenty- 
fifth  anniversary  of  their  wedding  Sept. 
13.  Rev.  Flavius  Brobst  visits  Dwight 
and  speaks  to  the  Keeley  League.  J.  D. 
Bevans  opens  a  clothing  store  for  Mc- 
Williams &  Smith.  James  Harrison, 
of  Goodfarm,  dies  Sept.  19,  at  the  age  of 
71.  Miss  Amelia  Portz  and  Levi  Mc- 
Lane    wed.    Col.    A.  C.    liabcock,    of 


88 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


Chicago,  visits  Dwight  and  the  Keeley 
Institute,  and  was  very  much  pleased 
with  his  visit.  Harry  Lawrence  opens  a 
cigar  store.  The  proprietors  of  the 
Star  and  Herald  purchase  the  Gardner 
Journal.  J.  R.  Oughton  pays  !$39,000 
for  the  Mills  section.  Saturday  morn- 
ing, Oct.  10,  the  last  great  fire  in  Dwight 
took  place.  The  fire  caught  in  the  en- 
gine hose  back  of  the  old  Kepplinger 
block  about  9:30  o'clock,  and  as  all  the 
buildings  in  the  row  were  wooden  struc- 
tures, everything  was  gone  in  about  two 
hours.  Following  were  the  losers:  Star 
Herald,  North  Star,  Geo.  Kepplinger, 
Thos.  Perry,  Barr  &  Dame,  Mrs. 
Koehnlein,  M.  Rinehart,  Mrs  A.  Strufe, 
John  Crocker,  Leslie  E.  Keeley  Co., 
Ketcham  &  Smith,  Mrs.  Gertie  Kayler, 
John  Thompson,  Jens  Jacobsgaard, 
Sam  Lower.  It  was  not  long  before  the 
present  Kepplinger  block,  Mazon,  Deif- 
enbaugh,  Mrs.  Koehnlein,  Strufe  house 
were  erected,  as  at  present — a  grand  im- 
provement on  the  old  tumble  down 
buildings.  The  Star  and  Herald  moved 
into  Williams'  carpenter  shop,  bought 
a  new  outfit  and  never  missed  an  issue. 
Albert  W.  Barr  died  Oct.  11  at  the  age 
of  thirty-two.  James  Funk,  the  well- 
known  politician,  moved  to  Iowa.  Mrs. 
Alice  J.  Carthy  and  Oscar  Mulford, 
Miss  Hattie  Garrett  and  AVm.  Mikesell 
are  married  in  October.  The  Empire 
Steam  Laundry  goes  into  business  on 
Mazon  avenue.  Martin  Seabert  erects 
a  fine  residence  on  Mazon  avenue,  where 
he  resides  at  present.  Major  Mc- 
Claughry  visits  the  Institute.  Dan 
Morris'  new  home  in  Renfrew  is  finished 
and  occupied.  Witt  &  McKay  go  into 
the  restaurant  business.  Miller  Bros, 
are  robbed  two  consecutive  Saturday 
nights  in  November.  J.  R.  Oughton's 
brother  dies  in  Chicago.  The  club 
reaches  the  2,000  mark  in  January.  Tlie 


Keeley  League  is  incorporated.  Robt. 
Willmot  erects  a  cottage  on  Delaware  St. 
The  Star  and  Herald  ottice  is  moved  to 
East  Delaware  street.  Miss  Katie 
Doherty  and  Geo.  E.  Goebel  are  mar- 
rie  in  Joliet  in  November  1891.  Trustee 
Jesse  Diffenbaugh  resigns  at  a  meeting 
in  November.  Miss  Grace  Kneeland 
and  T.  W.  Davis  were  married  Thanks- 
giving day.  R.  H.  Mills  suffers  a  pain- 
ful accident  by  catching  his  hand  in  a 
cornsheller.  John  Dunlap  goes  into  the 
laundry  business.  J^Irs.  Dr.  Broughton 
and  family  arrive  in  Dwight  in  Decem-  • 
ber.  Thos.  Blair  &  Co.  were  a  new 
plumbing  firm.  Grandma  Louden  dies 
in  December  at  the  age  of  87.  Patrick 
Burke  dies  from  the  effect  of  injuries 
received  in  a  runaway.  Mrs.  Cynthia 
Potter  dies  age  of  75.  McConnell  »fc 
Real  purchase  Judd  Williams  livery 
business.  C.  A.  Stuck  moved  to  Odell 
in  December.  Frank  Reser  moves  here 
from  Gardner.  The  Keeley  Co.  erects  a 
handsome  modern  building  corner  of 
Washington  and  Chippewa  streets  for 
the  accommodation  of  lady  patients. 
Mrs.  Dr.  Oakshett  dies  Dec.  12.  Dr. 
Keeley  delivers  an  address  at  the  Audi- 
torium in  Chicago  Dec.  18.  The  last 
Star  and  Herald  in  the  year  was  a  large 
one  and  assisted  greatly  in  advertising 
Dwight.  Wm.  H.  Gillispie  died  Dec.  12 
at  the  age  of  58  years.  II.  H.  Cutting 
sells  his  cigar  store  to  Sargent  &  Bas- 
sett.  A  brass  band  is  organized.  Lit- 
tle Mary  Ethel  Adams  dies. 

The  year  we  are  about  to  close— 1891 
— will  be  remembered  by  the  residents 
of  Dwight  as  long  as  they  live.  AN'e 
have  included  such  news  as  was  at  our 
disposal  in  as  compact  a  form  as  pos- 
sible, and  if  we  have  left  out  anything 
of  importance  the  reader  will  have  to 
forgive  us  and  make  the  best  of  it,  the 
same  as  we  have  tried  to  do. 


Frank  A.  Haise. 


Geo.  N.  Flagler. 


D.  B.  Stevens. 


John  Geis. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


89 


CHAPTER  Vlll. 
1892. 


The  year  1892  was  ushered  in  with  as 
bright  i)rospects  as  it  was  ever  the  for- 
tune of  any  eity  to  possess.  Business 
was  good  in  all  its  branches  among  our 
merchants,  and  the  business  of  The 
Leslie  E.  Keeley  Co.  had  become  very 
large,  and  there  were  over  one  thousand 
patients  here  for  treatment.  The  world 
had  become  convinced  of  the  genuine- 
ness of  the  cure.  Dr.  Keeley  had  fought 
the  same  battle  that  all  advanced  scien- 
tific men  have  to  fight,  but  not  like 
some  of  them,  he  had  lived  to  realize 
his  dreams  and  see  his  great  discovery 
accomplishing  the  desired  results.  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Keeley  came  home  from 
Europe  in  November,  and  when  they 
arrived  in  Dwight  a  sight  met  the  doc- 
tor's eyes  that  we  feel  sure  he  never  can 
forget.  Over  one  thousand  m'en  met 
him  at  the  depot  and  gave  such  a  wel- 
come as  few  men  ever  received.  lie 
had  worked  for  years  on  his  great  dis- 
covery and  spent  many  anxious  years 
in  watching  its  etfect.  Let  us  draw  a 
curtain  over  his  feelings  at  this  time. 
One  tiling  Dr.  Keeley  did  discover  very 
quickly,  and  that  was  there  was  no 
sewerage  and  no  more  prospect  of  any 
,than  when  he  went  away.  And  it  was 
])]ain  to  him  that  with  our  ])opulation 
almost  doubled,  with  tl;e  same  sanitary 
conditions  in  existence  as  before  the 
increase,  that  serious  results  would  fol- 


low. Something  had  to  be  done.  Prom,- 
ises  had  been  broken.  Shortly  after 
this  branch  institutes  were  started.  An- 
other citizens'  committee  consisting  of 
IL  P.  Morgan,  Chas.  L.  Romberger,  W. 
H.  Ketcham,  C.  J.  Judd  and  J.  C. 
Lewis  was  appointed  to  co-operate  with 
the  village  board,  and  an  elaborate  re- 
port was  made  which  is  undoubtedly 
still  on  tile.  Dr.  Keeley  and  a  party  of 
friends  visit  Bloomington.  Among  the 
new  residences  in  Renfrew  are  those  of 
M.  r.  Starrett,W.  II.  Howe,  Jet  Weller. 
Phillip  Miller  erects  a  tine  house  on 
Franklin  street.  Chas.  L.  Romberger 
issues  a  very  good  map  of  Dwight.  Dr. 
L^bellar,  dentist,  locates  here.  Sewerage 
and  arc  electric  light  ordinances  are 
passed  by  the  village  board  early  in 
January.  Miss  Nora  Grittith  and  N. 
Portertield  were  married.  W.  E.  Austin 
purchases  the  meat  market  of  Rowe  & 
Ilorr.  The  first  test  of  the  new  water 
works  was  made  January  12.  C.  A.  Hill 
A:  Co.  go  into  the  restaurant  business- 
Dr.  Keeley  lectures  in  Milwaukee.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Joe  Miller  celebrate  the 
eleventh  anniversary  of  their  wedding. 
The  'Tlummer"  commences  to  sto])  at 
Dwight.  ]SIrs.  Nelson  Cornell  dies  at 
Moberly,  Mo.,  Jan.  3,  at  the  age  of  68. 
The  Dwight  express  otlice  is  robbed  of 
.'#3,000  Jan.  20.  Edward  Young  passes 
away  at  the  age  of  73.    A  fire  depart- 


90 


HISTORY  OF  DVVIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


ment  is  organized  with  Dr.  Milton  E. 
Keeley  as  chief.  Fire  districts  were  es- 
tablished as  follows:  1st.  All  that  por- 
tion of  the  city  south  of  Mazon  avenue 
and  east  of  Prairie  avenue.  2nd.  All 
that  portion  west  of  Prairie  and  south 
of  Mazon.  3rd.  North  of  Mazon  and 
west  of  Prairie .  4th.  North  of  Mazon 
and  east  of  Prairie.  The  districts  are 
the  same  now.  Miss  Emma  Clarkson  is 
married  at  Denver  to  Eugene  Kreigh. 
Dr.  Keeley  speaks  in  Kansas  City .  Wm. 
Bartholic  builds  a  handsome  residence 
in  Renfrew.  Captain  Harry  Insley 
purchased  the  right  of  the  Keeley  reme- 
dies for  Colorado.  Nathan  Baker  was 
elected  collector  to  till  the  unexpired 
term  of  Mr.  Young,  deceased.  Grand- 
ma Martin  dies  in  Indiana  at  the  age  of 
7»>.  Mrs.  Ann  Standen-Pettitt  died  .Tan. 
26  at  the  age  of  76.  Miss  Eva  Brown 
and  Mr.  Reed,  of  Chicago,  are  united  in 
marriage  Jan.  26.  Geo.  Kern's  store  is 
burglarized.  Hill  iS:  McCabe  get  the 
sewer  contract.  Mr.  Henry  Pettitt  fol- 
lows his  beloved  wife  to  the  great  be- 
yond at  the  age  of  78.  An  article  in  the 
Star  and  Herald  in  February  gives  com- 
plimentary notice  of  new  residences  on 
Waupansie  street:  Philip  Weicker,  O. 
C.  Jensen,  F.  A.  liaise,  D.  B.  Stevens^ 
Ed.  Harrison,  J.  S.  Fitield,  W.  E.  Fenn' 
the  Typewriters  Home  and  the  Roe 
and  Wilson  residences.  They  all  added 
greatly  to  Dwight's  beauty.  Keeley  In- 
stitutes were  established  in  Russia 
Sweden  and  Norway.  Dr.  Keeley  si)eaks 
in  Philadelphia.  Mr.  and  Mrs.Wm.Mil- 
ler  lose  a  ten  year  old  son  by  death.  J. 
R.  Oughton  buys  the  Durston  and 
Hinkey  farms  760  acres.  The  Danish 
society  erect  a  new  parsonage  in  Feb- 
ruary, and  Rev.  Hekker  is  installed  as 
regular  pastor  anil  is  here  yet.  During 
the  week  commencing  Feb.  15,  was 
held  the  first  national  meeting  of  what 
is  now  the  Keeley  League.  The  Dwight 


Star  and  Herald,  with  commendable 
enterprise,  issued  a  daily  paper  during 
the  week,  which  was  profusely  illustrat- 
ed and  contained  the  report  of  the  con- 
vention and  the  usual  local  news.  There 
were  present  many  brilliant  men  and 
the  convention  was  a  success.  Col.  Nate 
A.  Reed,  Jr.,  well  known  in  Dwight, 
establishes  the  Banner  of  Gold,  a  liter- 
ary paper  devoted  to  the  Keeley  cure 
and  Keeley  League.  A  co-operation 
creamery  company,  was  organized.  It 
is  still  running  under  the  supervision  of 
a  competent  man,  Mr.  Lowe.  Miss 
Carrie  Kime  and  James  Semark  were 
married  in  February.  Dr.  Palm  and 
family  move  east.  They  returned,  how- 
ever, and  are  now  permanent  residents, 
Dr.  Palm  being  health  officer.  S.  T.  K. 
Prime  was  called  to  Washington,  D.  C, 
in  February  to  testify  before  the  senate 
committee  in  relation  to  dealing  it  fu- 
tures. Mr.  I'rime  is  acknowledged  to 
be  one  of  the  best  posted  men  in  Amer- 
ica and  his  writings  and  crop  informa- 
tion furnished  newspapers  has  made 
his  name  and  that  of  Dwight  known 
for  years  all  cn^er  this  country.  Sam 
Houston  leaves  Dwight  and  never  came 
back.  The  Keeley  League  adopts  the 
present  club  button.  The  League  com- 
mences to  give  entertainments  and 
is  ably  assisted  by  home  talent.  This 
feature  is  continued  to  the  present  time 
with  great  success.  Stevens  &  l^osee 
erect  a  frame  business  building  corner 
Prairie  avenue  and  Delaware  streets. 
The  Leslie  E.  Keeley  Co.  receive  favor- 
able proi)ositions  to  move  away.  The 
special  assessment  feature  of  the  sewer- 
age matter  causes  considerable  dissatis- 
faction. The  Leslie  E.  Keeley  Co.  erect 
a  handsome  two  story  brick  business 
block  on  West  street,  which  is  at  i)res- 
ent  occui)ied  by  J.C.Lewis,  Barr  iV: 
Davis,  Dr.  ]iarr  and  C.  L.  Romberger. 
The  Artesian   Laundry,  near  Spencer's 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


91 


hay  press  factory,  is  a  new  business 
venture.  It  is  at  present  owned  by 
Wright  &  C"o.  .John  Heimer  and  Mary 
Comisky  are  married.  Dr.  Keeley  lec- 
tures at  Joliet.  August  Michales  and 
Miss  Barbara  Junsie  are  married  in 
March.  Lewis  Pfefferman  and  Miss 
Hannah  Finnegan,  of  Hound  Grove, 
marry.  Palmer  &  Smith  buy  out 
Stevens  &  Losee's  meat  business.  Rev, 
II.  M.  Cole  accepts  the  pastorate  of  the 
Congregational  church.  The  Benedicta 
Literary  society  gave  a  fine  literary  en- 
tainment  at  high  school  building.  The 
Star  and  Herald  contains  a  complimen- 
tary notice  of  the  improvements  on 
different  streets.  The  St.  Louis  Lim- 
ited was  put  on  the  C.  &  A.  road  but 
D wight  was  not  in  it.  It  never  stopped 
here.  The  North  Star,  owned  by  C.  A. 
Stuck,  moved  to  Odell  and  since  then 
there  has  been  but  one  printing  office  in 
Dwight — the  Star  and  Herald.  The 
authorities  inspect  the  new  passenger 
station.  The  enterprising  residents  of 
Mazon  avenue  extend  water  mains  as 
far  west  as  the  school  house.  II.  T. 
Loper  leases  the  Mazon  and  starts  a 
very  fine  restaurant.  Frank  Haise 
moves  into  his  handsome  new  residence 
in  March.  A.  Brubaker  builds  a  hand- 
some home  next  to  the  liaise  residence 
and  moves  in  later.  E.  D.  Gregg,  a  pros- 
I)er()us  farmer  of  Round  Grove,  moves 
to  Dwight.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Wilson  dies. 
Dr.  Florence  Thompson  graduates  from 
the  Chicago  dental  college.  She  is  now 
having  a  prt)S[)erous  practice  in  Dwight. 
Mr.  McCaulley  goes  into  the  jewelry 
business.  A.  J.  Diefenbach  &  Co.  open 
their  new  tonsorial  parlors  on  Mazon 
avenue.  Mrs.  Thos.  Harford  falls  and 
breaks  one  of  her  arms.  Mrs.  .Jno.  W. 
Northrop  gives  a  concert  in  Kimball 
hall  in  Chicago  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Keeley  League.  The  money  made  did 
much  good  and  provided  many  a  man 


with  necessaries  while  in  Dwight.  Miss 
Johanna  Crandall  dies.  She  was  a  sis- 
ter of  Chas.  Crandall.  Miss  Hattie  Jef- 
fries, aged  10,  dies.  The  Dwight  amuse- 
ment club  is  formed.  The  township 
caucuses  were  held  with  the  following 
results:  Democratic— Supervisor,  J. 
Thompson;  town  clerk,  Fred  Liggitt; 
assessor,  James  Kelagher;  collector, 
Nathan  Baker;  commissioners,  Jacob 
Christman,  John  Gammil;  trustees,  J. 
M.  Burnham  and  G .  S.  Baker.  Repub- 
lican—Supervisor, R.  H.  Mills;  town 
clerk,  E.  T.  Miller;  assessor,  Roscoe 
Gould;  collector,  Robt.  Dunlap;  com- 
missioners AV.  II.  Taylor,  Thos.  AVeldon; 
trustees,  G.  Brown  and  G.  W.  Boyer. 
Following  were  the  winners  after  a  hot 
contest:  Supervisor,  John  Thompson; 
clerk,  E.  T.  Miller;  assessor,  Kelagher; 
collector,  Dunlap;  commissioners,  Tay- 
lor and  Weldon;  trustees.  Brown  and 
Boyer.  Carl  Reinmiller  and  Miss  Ella 
Butler  are  married  at  the  residence  of 
O.  W.  Pollard.  The  question  of  a  new 
crossing  occupied  the  minds  of  the  peo- 
ple. General  Daniel  Dustin,  father  of 
the  editor  of  the  Star  and  Herald,  dies 
at  Carthage,  Mo.,  March  30.  Albert 
Bros,  open  a  meat  market.  Harrison  & 
Curtis  buy  out  Stevens  &  Losee's  gro- 
cery. The  Dwight  high  school  celebrate 
Arbor  Day.  A  lawn  tennis  club  is 
formed  with  Prof.  C.  E.  Schlabaeh 
president.  The  first  anniversary  of  the 
club  was  celebrated  April  1.  Rev.  De- 
Witt  Talmage  visits  Dwight  in  com- 
pany with  Dr.  Keeley,  and  speaks  to 
the  patients  April  20.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F. 
A.  liaise  celebrate  the  tenth  anniver- 
sary of  their  wedding.  At  the  spring 
municipal  election  two  tickets  were 
j)laced  in  the  field -a  "Citizens"  and 
"Anti-license."  Henry  Fox  headed  the 
former  and  Chas.  L.  Rombergerthe  lat- 
ter. Mr.  Roniberger  was  elected  by  an 
overwhelming  majority  and    made  as 


92 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLIINOIS. 


good,  if  not  the  best  president  the  board 
ever  had.  He  was  an  inveterate  worker 
and  his  work  was  well  done.  The  can- 
didates for  trustees  on  the  former  ticket 
were  J.  Kelagher,  J.  Stewart  and  E.  T. 
Miller.  They  were  defeated  byB.  A. 
Buck,  John  Geis  and  ({.  N.  Flagler  and 
F.  A.  liaise  defeated  H.  McLane  for 
clerk.  This  was  a  splendid  business 
board  throughout.  A  Brubaker  was 
elected  president  of  the  school  board, 
and  N.  N.  Mickelson  and  E.  T.  Miller 
members.  J.  Guardenier's  jewelry  store 
was  robbed  in  April .  The  Xorth  Star 
for  a  short  time  came  to  Dwight  after 
removal,  but  in  the  latter  part  of  April 
gave  up  the  ghost.  Dr.  Barr  moves  into 
the  new  Keeley  block,  and  W.  J. 
Ilagerty  and  Alex.  McKay  start  a  fine 
restaurant  in  the  Ilagerty  block.  J .  A, 
Webster  buys  out  Walter  Scott's  coal 
business.  The  Star  and  Herald  prints 
the  portraits  of  the  mayor  and  new 
board  of  trustees.  The  arc  electric 
lights  are  turned  on  and  work  like  a 
charm.  Mr.  Wheeler,  republican  can- 
didate for  governor  of  Iowa,  visits  Jas. 
Brown's  fine  farm  looking  for  blooded 
horses.  He  found  them.  Mr.  Reinhart 
opens  a  pop  factory.  A.  Brubaker  is 
elected  village  treasurer.  Little  Jennie 
Mills,  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  II. 
Mills,  died  May  2.  J.  W.  P^pperson  dis- 
appears. Dr.  W.  L.  liarnes,  dentist,  lo- 
cates here.  The  delegate  train  from 
Chicago  to  the  republican  state  conven- 
tion stopped  at  Dwight  about  thirty 
minutes  and  visited  the  Keeley  Inst  - 
tute.  and  were  much  pleased  with  what 
they  saw.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Leslie  E.  Keeley 
left  Dwight  May  18  for  a  tour  in  Europe. 
The  fourth  anniversary  of  the  Y.  AV.  ('. 
T.  II.  was  celebrated  at  the  home  of  the 
Misses  Filieid.  A  brilliant  reception 
was  given  at  the  new  cliili  hall  and  (he 
Uahn  residence  the  new  home  of  the 
Dwight  Keeley  League.   Dr.  H.  Brougli- 


ton  is  presented  with  a  handsome 
charm.  Dr.  Keeley  lectures  in  Brook- 
lyn just  before  sailing  for  Europe.  Mr. 
Addison  Wood  died  May  14.  .Jacob 
L.  Peterson  and  Miss  Annie  K. 
Peterson  wed  in  May.  Chris.  Skafgaard 
was  married  in  Chicago  in  May.  Bailey 
Gower  and  D.  B.  Walker  announce 
themselves  as  candidates  for  the  nomi- 
nation for  legislature  in  the  Star  and 
Herald.  The  contract  for  the  present 
handsome  opera  was  let  in  May.  Austin 
(iibbons  becomes  a  candidate  for  the 
office  of  member  of  the  state  board  of 
equalization.  The  Leslie  E.  Keeley  Co. 
lent  the  new  village  board  84,000  to  help 
them  pay  running  expenses,  and  charged 
no  interest.  Frank  L.  Smith  announces 
himself  a  candidate  for  the  nomination 
as  circuit  clerk.  He  made  a  short, 
hustling  canvass,  and  was  only  defeat- 
ed by  a  small  majority  in  the  convention. 
Dr.  W.H.Weld  and  Miss  Millie  WinkJer 
are  married  in  June.  X.Nomenson  opens 
a  grocery  store  in  Frank  Ford's  build- 
ing. A  good  male  quartet  take  the 
name  of  "Dwight  Star  and  Herald 
Quartet,"  S.  T.  K.  Prime  is  banquet - 
ted  at  the  Mazon.  J.  C.  Lewis  moves 
his  jewelry  store  to  Keeley  block. 

The  12th  annual  commencement  ex- 
ercises of  Dwight  high  school  are  held 
in  M.  E.  church  June  2.  The  grad- 
uates were  Misses  Bessie  Baker.  M. 
I'^tta  ('aider,  Fannie  Connor  and  Clay 
1).  Parker  and  Chas.  A.Simmons.  Prof. 
Schlabach  ])resented  the  diplomas.  The 
motto  was  "Rowing,  not  Drifting." 
The  class  day  exercises  were  also  very 
interesting.  Geo.  Reed  buys  the  Em- 
l)ire  Laundry  from  Dame  i^  Dunlaji. 
Decoration  Day  was  duly  celebrated  in 
Dwight  and  there  was  a  large  turn  out. 
Kev.  Conaid  delivered  the  address.  Mrs. 
Mary  II.  Hunt,  the  great  temi)erance 
advocate  and  W.  C,  T.  LI",  lady  visits 
Dwight  ami  sjjcaks  to  the  League.     \V- 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGITT,  ILLINOIS. 


93 


(J.  pustin,  Frank  Smith  and  A.  K.  Zim- 
merman attend  the  national  rejjublican 
convention  at  ^linneapolis  in  June.  An 
ordinance  was  published  in  the  Star 
and  Herald  in  .June  creating  and  defin- 
ing the  othce  of  street  commissioner. 
J)\vight  C.  Morgan  and  Miss  Minnie  B. 
Dart  are  married  in  California  .June  20. 
Col.  K.  r.  Morgan  and  family  were 
])resent.  Mrs.  .1.  C.  Lewis  died  June  25 
after  a  long  illness.  P^ngineer  Bellows 
is  killed  by  an  accident  on  the  branch 
and  Fireman  James  Reeder  was  badly 
injured.  The  latter  recovered  and  is 
now  residing  in  Lacon.  The  Star  and 
Herald  issues  a  red,  white  and  blue 
Fourth  of  July  edition. 

The  Fourth  of  July  was  celebrated 
with  great  pomp  in  1892.  Hon.  John  I. 
Blair  was  the  orator,  and  the  eagle  was 
tiunied  loose  in  good  old  style.  Col.  R., 
P.  Morgan  is  engaged  by  the  railroad 
commissioners  of  California  for  an  im- 
])ortant  missicm.  Howard  W.«  Kelly 
and  Miss  Josephine  M.  Kennedy  are 
married  at  the  residence  of  Joseph 
Burnham  in  July.  James  Prickett  and 
Miss  Gertrude  Jeffries  marry  in  July. 
Mrs.  Chas.  M.  liaker  returns  after  a  se- 
vere sickness  in  Milwaukee  and  Chica- 
go. The  summer  of  1892  was  excessive- 
ly warm,  the  thermometer  often  reach- 
ing 100  in  the  shade.  The  Knights  of 
Pythias  picnic  at  Wilmington  in  July. 
Rev.  R.  Wilhelmsen,  a  progressive 
Danish  minister,  organized  a  Danish  M. 
K.  society  in  Lwight.  and  purchased 
the  old  Presbyterian  church.  Tlie  so- 
ciety is  in  a  nourishing  condition  and 
Rev.  Wilhelmsen  is  still  the  beloved 
pastor.  Hon.  H.  K.  Wheeler,  of  Kan- 
kakee, republican  candidate  for  con- 
gress, visits  Dvvight.  A.  W.  Kern  and 
Peter  Kern  i)urchase  the  grocery  busi- 
ness of  Geo.  L.  Kern.  The  latter  pur- 
chases the  restaurant  business  of  Milt 
Witt.    Chas.   L.  Romberger,  the  enter- 


j)rising  real  estate  dealer,  moves  into, 
his  present  handsome  otlice  in  Keeley 
block.  Miss  Calahan  and  Mr.  McCarty 
marry  in  July.  The  Renfrew  Lodge 
stock  farm,  owned  by  John  P.  McWil- 
liams,  becomes  an  imj)ortant  business 
feature  of  Dwight.  A  Cincinnati  fea- 
male  base  ball  club  play  with  the 
Dwights  and  beat  them.  Frank  Losee 
hangs  himself  in  J.  D.  Ketcham's  barn 
while  temporarily  insane.  The  Dwight 
Investment  Company  was  formed  in 
August  by  about  a  dozen  of  Dwight' s 
enterprising  citizens.  They  purchased 
the  buildmg  owned  by  the  Empire 
Steam  Laundry  company  and  trans- 
form it  into  a  fine  hall,  which  is  still  be- 
ing used  for  dancing  parties,  etc.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  John  R.  Oughton  sail  for 
Europe  August  19  and  spent  several 
months  abroad.  John  Pettitt  goes  to 
Denver  with  the  St.  Bernard  drill  corps 
and  enjoyed  a  splendid  visit.  Zimmer- 
man &  Dustin  sell  the  Gardner  Journal. 
R.  C.  Adams,  an  old  and  highly  respect- 
ed citizen  of  Dwight,  died  in  August, 
Frank  L.  Rozelle  conducts  a  revival  in 
M.  E.  church  in  August.  Professor 
Schlabach  moves  to  DeWitt,  Iowa,  and 
enters  a  school  there.  He  was  subse- 
quently elected  couTity  superintendent 
of  schools,  which  position  he  now  occu- 
j)ies.  Chas.  L.  Romberger  and  F.  W. 
^'ickery  attend  the  Knight's  conclave 
at  Denver  with  the  Joliet  commandery. 
S.  T.  K.  Prime  addresses  a  hard  roads 
ct»nvention  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  Dr. 
Bennett,  author  of  "Sweet  Bye  and 
Bye,"'  visits  Dwight  and  gave  the  his- 
tory of  the  beautiful  hymn  in  Congre- 
gational church  to  a  large  audience. 
Mr.  John  Conrad  dies  in  August  at  the 
residence  of  his  brother,  W.  II.  Conrad. 
McConnell  and  Real  dissolve  j)art- 
nership,  the  former  retiring.  J.  A. 
Hayes  commences  injunction  j)roceed- 
ings   against  the   Dwight   sewer.     The 


94 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILL[>;OI.S. 


case  was  won  and  lost  by  the  city  and 
finally  Mr.  Hayes  came  out  ahead. 
Among  the  improvements  during  the 
summer,  the  Star  and  Herald  of  Aug- 
ust 27  notes  those  of  J.  B.France,  A. 
Brubaker,  Tock  Bros.,  Peter  Beuhler, 
Miller  Bros,  store  and  W.  H.  Conrad. 
H.  T.  Loper  sells  the  Mazon  restaurant. 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Barr  visit  relatives  in  the 
east.  Mrs.  J.  P.  Weagley,  mother  of 
Mrs.  D.  McAVilliams,  Mrs.  C.  M.  Baker 
and  Mrs.  F.  Connor,  passed  away  in 
August  at  the  age  of  82.  Miss  Anna 
Jeannetta  Koehnlein  and  Chas.  B.  El- 
liott, of  Chicago,  are  married  Sept.  1. 
Miss  Sophia  Rhode  and  Geo.  Sayers  are 
married  at  Verona.  Miss  Anna  M. 
Beier  and  Jens  Knudsen  were  married 
the  latter  part  of  August.  Jas.  B.  Aus- 
tin and  family  move  to  Nebraska  in 
September.  Liggitt  &  Fenn  dissolve 
partnership.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Leslie  E. 
Keeley  arrive  home  from  Europe  in 
September  and  receive  a  warm  recep- 
tion. 

Sept.  15, 1892,  the  second  meeting  of 
what  is  now  known  as  National  Keeley 
Leagvie  met  in  Dwight  for  a  four  days 
session.  The  meetings  were  held  in  the 
new  opera  house,  it  being  the  first 
meeting  ever  held*  in  that  handsome 
building.  S.  T.  K.  Prime  delivered  the 
welcoming  address.  Dr.  Leslie  E.  Kee- 
ley, Hon.  John  V.  Farewell,  Opie  R^d, 
Vol.  Nate  A.  lieed,  Jr.,  Albert  Hyde. 
Charles  Eugene  lianks,  John  I.  Gillis- 
pie,  Judge  Arnold  and  many  other 
prominent  gentlemen  delivered  address- 
es, and  letters  of  regret  were  read  from 
Miss  Frances  AVillard,  Gov.  Jos.  Fifer, 
Rev.  T.  DeWitt  Talmage,  Mayor  Wash- 
burne,  R.  W.  McClaughry,  (Jov.  Peck, 
of  Wisconsin,  and  many  others.  The 
Star  and  Herald  issued  a  daily. 

Col.  J.  B.  Parsons  attends  the  nation- 
al G.  A.  R.  encampment  at  AVashing- 
ton,  D.  C.    Miss  Anna  Nelson   and   Ed. 


Hahn  are  married  in  September.  The 
Haney  family  had  a  reunion  at  the 
handsome  new  residence  of  Geo.  S. 
Baker  in  August.  Dwight  Lodge  Mod- 
ern Woodman  organized  in  September 
and  are  nourishing  at  this  time.  John 
Dillon  opens  the  new  opera  house  with 
"A  Model  Husband."  Every  seat  in 
the  house  was  taken.  Hon.  A.  J.  Les- 
ter, of  Springfield,  delivers  a  republican 
speech,  and  the  republicans  organize  a 
marching  club  and  visit  neighboring 
towns  during  the  campaign.  The  demo- 
crats organize  a  campaign  club.  Miss 
Kate  Lyons  and  Cameille  Ribordy  are 
married  in  October.  The  Congrega- 
tional society  purchase  a  new  pipe  or- 
gan. Dr.  H.  S.  Tanner,  the  world  re 
nowned  faster,  visits  Dwight  and  speaks 
to  the  Keeley  League.  The  "Doll 
Drill"  was  a  very  pretty  home  enter- 
tainment in  October.  Senator  J.  G. 
Strong,  of  Kansas,  visits  his  daughter, 
Mrs.  Frank  Chester.  Mrs.  J.  L.  Mc- 
Kinley  commits  suicide  while  insane. 
Francis  Murphy,  the  great  temperance 
advocate,  visits  Dwight  as  a  guest  of 
Dr.  Keeley.  Hon.  R.  S.  Mcllduff,  Hon. 
C.  Snow  and  C.  S.  Darrow  deliver  polit- 
ical speeches  in  October  in  Dwight. 
Congressman  Payson  speaks  in  Dwight. 
Mrs.  Blackmore,  of  Pontiac,  inspects 
the  Dwight  Relief  Corps.  Miss  Lillie 
Abbaduska  and  Frank  Barnum  were 
married  in  Odell  in  October.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Walter  M.  Weese  visit  relatives  in 
Canada.  Henry  Slauson,  who  came  to 
Dwight  in  the  fifties,  passed  away  early 
in  November.  Miss  Jennie  Simmons 
and  Chas.  V.  Herr  are  married  in  Chi- 
cago in  October.  All  was  excitement 
during  the  month  of  October  and  up  to 
election  day  in  November.  Both  great 
]»olitical  parties  did  their  best  and  the 
result  was  the  will  of  the  majority  and 
had  to  be  satisfacory.  Everything,  al- 
most, went  democratic.     Tlie  Woman's 


HISTORY  OF  D WIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


95 


Auxiliary  Keeley  League  was  organ- 
ized in  Dwigiit  in  November.  Miss 
Delia  Pearre  and  Theodore  Hayes 
were  married  Nov.  2.  Miss  Maud  Smith 
and  Jas.  McKay  were  married  in  No- 
vember in  Pontiac.  Miss  Kate  Long 
and  John  Thompson  are  married  in 
Joliet  in  November.  Christopher  Yates, 
the  well-known  veterinary  surgeon, died 
in  November.  Steven  Goodman's  little 
daughter,  Ilattie,  also  died.  Quite  a 
number  of  aspirants  for  the  postotiice 
commence  operations.  The  3-1  express 
messenger  is  robbed  of  82,000.  P^  E. 
Fenn  iK:  Co.  and  Sargent  &  Bassett 
trade  businesses.  L.  A.  Nalfziger  was 
appointed  special  assessment  collector. 
S.  T.  K.  Prime  was  made  general  west- 
ern secretary  of  the  National  League 
for  good  roads.  Col.  R.  P.  Morgan 
makes  a  report  on  all  railroads  in  Cali- 
fornia and  receives  great  praise  from 
the  state  authorities.  The  Star  and 
Herald  issues  a  large  holiday  number 
in  December.  A  charming  merchant's 
carnival  was  given  in  the  opera  house 
in  December  for  the  benefit  of  the  high 
school.  Miss  Mildred  Kabe  and  Leon- 
ard Ilowlett  were  married  Dec.  23  at 
the  home  of  the  bride.  They  still  reside 
here  and  Mr.  Howlett  is  a  valued  em- 
ploye of  The  Leslie  E.  Keeley  Co.    The 


fire  company  was  called  out  on  account 
of  a  fire  in  the  coal  houses  back  of  the 
Keeley  League  hall,  which  was  quickly 
extinguished.  The  "malt"  cases  at- 
tract considerable  attention.  "Malt" 
proved  to  be  beer  in  disguise,  and 
Mayor  Romberger  and  the  town  board 
were  elected  on  a  strict  no-license  tick- 
et. The  parties  selling  the  stuff  were 
arrested  and  the  first  cases  were  ap- 
I)ealed,  but  the  mayor  kept  right  after 
them  until  no  bonds  could  be  gotten  and 
the  law  breakers  were  glad  to  quit.  L. 
B.  Rake  and  family  move  to  Iowa.  The 
military  drill  given  in  the  opera  house 
in  December  was  one  of  the  prettiest 
entertainments  ever  given  in  Dwight 
and  was  repeated  later  on.  Mr.  John 
Ferguson,  of  Campus,  formerly  of 
Dwight,  died  on  Christmas  day.  Christ- 
mas entertainments  were  given  in  Con- 
gregational, M.  E.  and  other  churches, 
and  the  holidays  seemed  to  be  happily 
passed  in  Dwight.  John  Thompson's 
house  caught  fire  and  was  nearly  de- 
stroyed. Miss  Eebecca  Burkhart  and 
George  Hoffman  were  married  in  De- 
cember. Wykes  &  Co.  go  into  the  ice 
business.  M.  H,  Coole,  fromerly  Dwight 
agent  for  the  C .  &  A,  railroad,  died  at 
a  hospital  in  Chicago.  The  year  1892 
ended  with  the  people  of  Dwight,  gen- 
erally, prosperous  and  happy. 


96 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


CHAPTER  IX. 
1893. 


The  year  1893  opened  with  bright 
*  prospects  but  no  "boom"  on.  Although 
there  was  not  that  wild  demand  for 
property  which  there  was  previously, 
the  price  was  found  to  have  increased 
nearly  double  what  it  was  three  years 
before,  and  for  desirable  property,  re- 
mains about  the  same  to  this  day— 1895. 
In  two  years  our  little  prairie  village 
has  blossomed  into  a  city  in  importance 
and  the  main  business  streets,  with  the 
handsome  buildings  and  new  passenger 
station  presented  a  prosperous  appear- 
ance, and  many  were  the  compliments 
paid  D wight  by  people  passing  through 
on  the  Alton  trains.  In  the  night  the 
streets  were  almost  as  light  as  day,  and 
the  hundreds  of  electric  lights  in  The 
Leslie  E.  Keeley  Co.'s  buildings  and 
other  business  houses,  gave  our  city  the 
look  of  prosperity  and  enterprise.  The 
effects  of  the  '-boom"  were  still  bad, 
but  those  who  were  unfortunate  braved 
it  through  and  during  the  whole  time 
there  was  not  a  business  failure. 

Among  the  more  important  things 
which  transpired  in  .January  was  tiie 
great  interest  taken  by  the  ])eople 
in  getting  factories  to  locate  here,  and 
encouraging  some  coal  company  to  sink 
a  shaft  here.  J.  A.  Hayes,  a  ])rosperous 
farmer  living  in  the  edge  of  (Jnuuiy 
county,  thought  he  had  coal  under  his 
land  and  the  b\isiness  men  raised  mon- 


ey and  assisted  him  in  prospecting,  but 
it  came  to  naught.  Hon.  O.  W.  Pollard, 
who  had  been  very  sick  for  some  time, 
recovered  so  much  that  he  was 
able  to  be  out,  and  his  many  friends 
were  much  gratified.  Early  in  the  year 
Col.  and  Miss  May  Morgan  and  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Dwight  Morgan  returned  to 
Dwight  after  a  long  sojourn  in  Cali- 
fornia. The  Dwight  Star  and  Herald 
otlice  moves  into  the  present  commo- 
dious quarters,  adds  an  eighteen  horse 
power  boiler  and  a  steam  heatmg  appa- 
ratus and  becomes  one  of  the  leading 
country  printing  plants  in  the  state. 
Mrs.  Martha  E.  Dunlap  dies  in  Chatta- 
nooga, Tenn.  Mrs.  Wm.  Khoiles,  an  old 
resident  of  Dwight  died  at  Eldorado 
Springs,  Mo.  Miss  (Jrace  (ireg(»ry  and 
F.  W.  Liggitt  are  married  at  Normal. 
111.,  the  home  of  the  bride.  I\Irs.  Ida  15. 
Cole  is  appointed  national  secretary  of 
the  national  W.  A.  K.  L.  AV.  J.  Ilagerty 
and  Alex.  McKay  dissolve  i)artnership. 
Miss  Maggie  Lawler  and  Wm.  Christian 
are  married.  .James  Hrown  jiurchases 
2."),(K)0  bushels  of  corn  for  feeding  i)ur- 
po-es.  Erasmus  (Joukl  dies  in  Kansas. 
The  W.  A.  K.  L.  receive  a  benefit  from 
the  production  of  "Young  Mrs.  Win" 
tlirop."  Peter  (Intel  is  killed  by  an  Al- 
ton train  about  a  mile  and  a  half  south 
of  Dwight.  Early  in  .January  about 
forty  witnesses  from  Dwight  attend  tlie 


Postoffice  Force  During  the  Boom. 


Joe  Miller 


Carl  Miller. 


TTISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


97 


sewer  trial  at  I'ontiac.  A  very  heavy 
snow  storm  the  first  week  in  January. 
The  sewer  case  was  won  by  the  village 
for  the  time  being.  Miss  Minnie  Ahern 
and  Frank  L.  Smith  are  married  Feb.  8. 
The  night  before  Mr.  Smith  was  ten- 
dered a  reception  at  the  Scott  House  by 
many  of  his  bachelor  friends.  Miss 
Lizzie  liurkhart  and  Martin  Hoffman 
are  married  Feb.  8.  Louis  Falk  gave  a 
concert  at  Congregational  church  for 
the  benefit  of  the  organ  fund.  Little 
Mamie  Lightholder  dies.  Mrs.  Wm.  11. 
(Jillispie  dies  Feb.  h.  L.  Hake  and  fam- 
ily move  to  Iowa.  Aaron  Prickett 
moves  to  Iowa.  Mayor  Romberger 
makes  a  successful  stand  against  the 
malt  venders  in  Dwight  and  cleaned 
tliem  out  in  good  order.  After  the 
second  arrest  tliey  could  not  get  bonds 
and  were  forced  to  get  out  of  town  or 
settle  uj)  at  any  cost.  McWilliams  «.K: 
Smith's  store  is  burglarized.  The  22nd 
day  of  February  is  celebrated  in  a  lit- 
ing,i)atriotic  manner  by  the  high  school. 
Miss  Maggie  A.  Austin  and  liobert 
Mayes  are  married  Feb.  20.  John  \\. 
Oughton's  tine  imported  dog.  Heather 
Lad,  takes  first  premium  at  the  Chica- 
go Kennel  Club  bench  show.  This  was 
followed  by  a  steady  run  of  win- 
nings in  the  dog  shows  of  the  country. 
At  the  j)resent  time -1895  Mr.  Ough- 
ton  has  one  of  the  first  and  most  valu- 
able kennels  in  America  in  Dwight. 
They  are  under  the  charge  of  Ame  Ovv. 
On  another  page  we  present  a  i)icture 
of  Heather  Lad,  the  .'Sn.OOO  dog. 

The  churches  celebrate  Temperance 
Sunday  api)ropriately  the  last  Sunday  in 
February.  Oregg  ..^  Starrett  go  into 
the  feed  business  at  the  old  Hart  stand. 
Later  Mr.  (Iregg  sold  out  to  Martin 
Seabert,  and  at  present— 1H95  the  firm 
is  Starrett  «.K:  Seabert.  George  Fox  dies 
in  Kansas.  A  barn  in  the  rear  of  Dr. 
Palm's  house  on  Chippewa  street   is  de- 


stroyed by  fire.  March  9,  in  the 
evening,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spencer  El- 
dredge  tendered  a  reception  to  Mr. 
Eugene  \'.  Debs,  who  was  about 
to  leave  for  his  home  in  Terra  Haute, 
Ind.,  after  having  taken  the  bichloride 
of  gold  treatment.  This  was  before  Mr. 
Debs  was  leader  of  the  greatest  railroad 
strike  ever  known.  One  of  the  guests 
of  the  evening  was  the  acccomplished 
literary  light,  Eugene  Field,  who  was 
here  for  the  tobacco  treatment.  The 
latter  took  part  in  an  entertainment  at 
Congregational  church  and  a  club  en- 
tertainment about  this  time,  reciting 
some  of  his  pretty  poems.  Col.  Richard 
P.  Morgan  and  Dwight  C.  Morgan  are 
appointed  consulting  engineers  by  the 
Railway  and  "Warehouse  Commissioners 
of  Illinois.  Miss  Bessie  Huey  and  H. 
F.  Adams  are  married  March  22.  Mar- 
shall P.  AVilder.  the  great  lecturer,  visits 
Dwight  and  gives  an  entertainment. 

At  the  township  caucuses  held  the 
following  were  nominated:  Republican 
—clerk,  E.  T.  Miller;  assessor,  R.  11. 
Mills;  collector,  Thos.  Harford;  com- 
missioners, Frank  Chester  and  AVm. 
Christiansen;  justices,  M.  Wilkison  and 
Henry  McLane;  constables,  Thos.  Jen- 
kins and  O.  C.  Jensen;  trustee,  Jno.  R, 
Radclitte.  Democratic  clerk,  E.  T. 
Miller;  assessor,  James  Kelagher;  col- 
lector, Benj.  Bell;  commissioners,  Peter 
Ileinen  and  AVm.  Christiansen;  justices, 
J.  B.  BarthandAVm.  Lester; constables, 
Thos.  Jenkins  and  Chas.  Hearing;  trus- 
tee, Jno.  R.  Radclifte.  Following  were 
the  winners:  clerk,  E.  T.  Miller;  asses- 
sor, Jas.  Kelagher;  collector,  Thos.  Har- 
ford; commissioners,  Frank  Chester 
and  AA'^m.  Christiansen;  justices,  M.  AVil- 
kison  and  Henry  McLane;  constables, 
Thos.  Jenkins  and  O.  C.  Jensen;  trus- 
tee, Jno.  R.  Radclitte.  The  Star  and 
Herald  publishes  an  interesting  letter 
from  S.  T.  K.  Prime  from   California. 


98 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


Father  Halpin  dies    at     Odell.     John 
Stack  dies. 

Following  were  the  nominations  for 
the  municipal  election  in  April  1893. 
Citizens — H.  Fox,  president;  J.  AV.  Sar- 
gent, A.  M.  Bartholic,  E.  P.  Hahn,  trus- 
tees; G.  L.  Kern,  clerk.  Anti-License 
— Chas.  L.  Komberger,  president;  D.  B. 
Stevens,  Roger  Mills,  Geo.  S.  Baker, 
trustees;  F.  A.  Haise,  clerk.  The  cam- 
paign was  a  hot  one,  and  wiiile  not 
divided  exactly  on  the  license  question, 
there  was  a  feeling  that  it  would  be 
safer  to  elect  the  straight  anti-license 
ticket,  and  there  were  some  men  on 
the  citizens  ticket  who  had  been  li- 
cense men  heretofore.  The  principal 
question  was,  however,  that  of  public 
improvements  and  how  they  should  be 
made  and  paid  for.  Mr,  liomberger 
had  made  a  splendid  oflicial  but  the 
taxes  and  special  assessments  had  been 
levied  under  his  administration  and  he 
was  blamed  by  many  who  did  not  want 
license  but  were  simply  dissatistied. 
Mr.  Romberger  did  not  want  the  office, 
but  after  accepting  the  nomination 
made  the  run  but  was  defeated  by  II. 
Fox  by  twelve  majority.  The  remain- 
ing part  of  the  anti-license  ticket  was 
elected  by  good  majorities.  Miss  Cora 
McCarty  dies.  J.  E.  Schobey  dies  at 
his  home  in  Union  Hill.  X.  X;  Mickel- 
son  purchases  the  Dwight  Art  Com- 
pany. John  D.Ketcham  dies.  A.Row- 
ley also  dies.  Miss  Xora  A.  Taylor  and 
AV'm.  H.  Ketcham  were  married  April 
19.  The  Keeley  League  Club  house  is 
burned.  Rev.  AVilson,  a  former  ])ast()r 
of  Congregational  clnn-ch,  is  frozen  to 
death  in  the  west.  Patrick  Confrey 
dies  in  May.  Dwight  Driving  Park 
Association  organizes.  An  interesting 
letter  is  published  in  the  Star  and  Her- 
ald regarding  S.  T.  K.  Prime's  visit  t<> 
California.  Miss  Lavinia  W.  McKay 
and  J.  A.  Spencer  were  married  May  17. 


Mrs.  C.  A.  Staley  dies.  Mrs.  Jacob  Bur- 
ger dies.    Mrs.  Metske  passes  away. 

May  1,  of  1893.  the  "Great  White 
City''  opened  in  Chicago,  and  Dwight 
people  generally  visited  some  time  dur- 
ing the  six  months.  The  Star  and  Her- 
ald published  many  interesting  articles 
regarding  the  grand  exhibit.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  AV.  J.  Ilagerty  lose  a  little  girl 
baby.  Mrs.  (reorge  Short  dies.  Deco- 
ration Day  is  duly  celebrated.  The 
commencement  exercises  were  held  in 
the  opera  house  the  evening  of  June  B. 
The  graduates  were  Misses  Addie  Femi, 
M.  Mabel  Thompson,  Dora  Kern,  John 
O'Malley  and  Frank  Ford.  The  first  con- 
vention of  Illinois  State  Keeley  League 
and  Auxiliary  meets  in  Dwight  in  June. 
There  were  delegates  present  from  all 
over  the  state  and  an  excellent  time  en- 
joyed. Mrs.  AV.  AV.  AVood  died  in  June. 
Miss  Lucy  Stockwell  and  J.  C.  Lewis 
are  married  in  June  in  Minneapolis. 
The  Keeley  League  conduct  the  Fourth 
of  July  celebration  this  year,  and  it  was 
a  grand  success.  Hon.  Thos.  AV.  Golden, 
of  Janesville,  Wis.,  was  the  orator  of 
the  day.  Miss  Mattie  E.  AVright  and 
B.  M.  Chubb  are  married  in  July.  Ex- 
alderman  Benj.  Bell  dies  July  20.  Rev. 
J.  A.  Fisher  becomes  pastor  of  Con- 
gregational church.  Geo.  Burns  dies. 
•Edward  Murphy,  son  of  Francis  Mur- 
phy, visits  Dwight  and  sjieaks  to  the 
League.  Count  Fr.  Berg  and  son,  of 
Sagnitz,  Riga,  Russia,  visits  Dwight- 
Miss  Linna  E.  Seabert  and  AVillard  S. 
Brown  are  married  Sunday.  Aug.  t),  in 
Chicago.  Aliss  Sarah  M.  Clarkson  and 
Dr.  Chas.  H.  (rarduer  are  married  Aug- 
ust 13.  Fred  Steffin's  barn  burns  for 
the  third  time.  Steven  Knudsen,  of 
Round  Grove,  is  accidently  killed.  Aug. 
20,  1893,  J.  F.  AVassell  purchases  the 
interest  of  A.  R.  Zimmerman  in  the 
Star  and  Herald,  and  the  busmess  con- 
tinued to   flourish  under  the   lirm  name 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


99 


of  Dustiu  tlv:  AVassell.  Henry  KIdriclge 
(lies  very  suddenly  in  Chicago.  The 
third  annual  convention  Keeley  League 
met  at  Central  Music  hall  in  Chicago 
in  September.  They  were  welcomed 
by  Mayor  Carter  Harrison,  and  all  vis- 
ed world's  fair  on  "Keeley"  day.  D wight 
l)ostotllce  was  burglarized.  Kev.  C.  W. 
Ayling  comes  to  the  M.  E.  church  in 
J) wight  in  September  1893.  Miss  Mary 
Terwilliger'  and  Orville  Brown  are 
married  Oct.  5.  Miss  Frances  Costello 
and  Havid  McKenzie  were  married  Oct. 
4.  Miss  Nettie  Cunliffe  and  Frank 
Stevens  were  married  at  the  residence 
C.  W.  Ayling.  S.  T.  K.  Prime  and  Major 
C.  .1.  Judd  make  a  tour  of  the  east.  Dr. 
C.  H.  IJarr  and  Walter  M.  Davis  form  a 
l^artnership  in  the  drug  business  under 
the  tirm  name  of  Barr  &  Davis.  Col.  K. 
P.  Morgan  is  appointed  one  of  the  re- 
ceivers of  the  Northern  Pacific  railroad, 
and  took  active  management  of  the 
l)roperty.  Miss  A.  M.  Anderson  and  O. 
P.  Anderson  are  married.  October  Ki 
the  horrible  accident  occurred  at  Em- 
ington  by  the  explosion  of  dynamite,  in 
which  tive  men  lost  their  lives  and  sev- 
eral were  injured.  Those  killed  were 
Chris.  Eyer,  one  of  the  well-knowii  tirm 
of  Eyer  Bros.,  deep  well  sinkers,  and 
and  Dan  Eyer,  a  brother,  and  Fred 
Eyer,  a  cousin,  and  James  Cornwall,  of 
Dwight,  and  C.  E,  Fowler,  of  Eming- 
ton.  Chris.  Shearer,  a  cousin  of  the 
Eyers,  from  Olney,  John  Brown,  James 
and  ^\'m.  AVylly  and  John  Kennedy,  of 
Emington,  were  badly  injured.  Many 
business  houses  and  residences  were 
badly  damaged.  A  recei)tion  was  given 
to  Piev.  C.  W.  Ayling  and  family  l)y  the 
M.  E.  congregation.  Miss  Nellie  E. 
.leffries  and  E.G.  Philli])s,  of  Janes- 
ville.  Wis.,  are  married  Oct.  If).  Many 
old  Dwightites  visit  Dwight  during 
the  summer,  having  come  to  Chicago  to 
visit   the  great   fair,  also  many  eastern 


relatives  of  people  here  come  west. 
MissErminia  Elfrieda  Baker  and  Dr. 
"William  I^eonard  Barnes  were  married 
Oct  21)  as  the  home  of  the  bride.  They 
now  reside  in  Syracuse,  N.  Y.  Joel  B. 
Luther  purchases  the  hardware  busi- 
ness of  ^y.  J.  Sargent  ilv:  Son.  Louis 
Schaeifer,  of  Chicago,  an  experienced 
hotel  man,  takes  charge  of  the  Living- 
ston. He  is  still  a  resident  of  Dwight. 
Miss  Inga  Jacobsen  and  S.  S.  Green,  of 
Chicago,  are  married  November  4. 
Word  was  received  of  the  marriage  of 
Miss  Estella  Krohn,  a  former  teacher 
in  the  Dwight  schools  to  E.  J.  Healy. 
Rev.  Fisher  resigns  the  pastorate  of 
Congregational  church.  He  is  now  pas- 
tor of  the  First  Congregational  church 
in  South  Omaha.  Sunday,  Nov.  19,  the 
Cohmibia  hotel  on  Mazon  avenue  was 
burned.  It  was  the  property  of  B.  K. 
Grithth.  James  Goodman  gets  his  fin- 
gers mashed  while  coupling  cars  The 
"Temple  of  Fame"  was  given  by  the 
ladies  of  Congregational  church.  John 
Pettit  had  a  piece  of  tin  extracted  frcmi 
one  of  his  legs,  which  had  been  imbed- 
ded there  for  seventeen  years.  Miss 
Josephine  Lembrich  and  Anton  Deifen- 
baugh  are  married  in  November.  The 
AV.  A.  K.  L.  give  a  fair  in  December 
one  evening  and  cleared  over  )in200.  The 
Dwight  Star  and  Herald  issues  a  hand- 
some holiday  edition,  presenting  many 
half-tone  portraits  of  citizens  and  ])ic- 
tures  of  residences  and  public  buildings. 
There  was  a  geat  demand  for  the  paper, 
and  thousands  of  them  were  sent  away. 
Miss  Anna  McClary  and  W.  O.  Cook 
are  married  Dec.  20.  The  Christmas 
holidays  were  celebrated  in  a  beautiful 
manner  by  the  churches  and  the  W.  A. 
K.  L.  The  usual  trees  and  entertain 
ments  were  given,  and  the  W.  A.  K.  L. 
looked  after  the  poor  by  having  a  tree 
a(  the  club  house  and  invited  all  the 
poor  children,  and  distributed  hundreds 


100 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLi:sOIS. 


of  warm  shoes,  stockings,  cloths,  etc., 
and  the  local  members  of  the  Keeley 
League  sent  the  little  ones  to  the 
Ketcham  house  for  dinner.  The  Star 
and  Herald  published  a  series  of  Christ- 
mas stories  for  the  little  ones  which 
were  of  much  interest.    Philip  Clover's 


family  have  a  re-union.  Sad  news  was 
received  of  the  death  of  Mrs,  P,  M, 
France,  wife  of  a  former  pastor  of  the 
Congregational  church.  The  year  1893 
closed  with  "Peace  on  earth  and  good 
will  to  man." 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


101 


CHAPTER  X. 
1894. 


This  year  opened  with  everyone  in 
our  community  as  prosperous  as  could 
be  expected  considering  that  the  times 
were  what  is  termed  "hard."  The  liber- 
ality of  Dwight  citizens  generally  was 
displayed  during  1S93  and  1894  in  a 
manner  very  creditable.  No  one  suf- 
fered in  our  midst  and  never  will  if  the 
])eople  know  it.  As  the  writer  has  said 
many  times,  "Dwight  generally  has  the 
most  liberal  people  he  ever  saw."  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  (".  M.  Baker  celebrate  the 
twentieth  anniversary  of  their  wedding. 
Mr.  Richards,  of  Streator,  buys  the 
Payne  farm.  Hon.  O.  W.  Pollard.  Hon. 
David  McWilIiams,  Miss  Artie  Pollard 
and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  P.  E.  Miller  visit  in 
California.  Anton  Deifenbach  pur- 
chases the  Livingston  tonsorial  parlors 
of  (Jus  Levi.  An  article  was  published 
in  the  Star  and  lleiald  showing  that 
The  Leslie  E.  Keeley  Co.  was  paying 
one-third  of  the  whf)le  tax  in  Dwight 
townshij).  The  Dwight  Cornet  liand  is 
organized  with  Prof.  Evans  as  leader 
and  instructor.  Miss  Marcella  Ferguson 
and  .John  Kennedy  were  married  Jan- 
uary 31.  The  Dwight  (1.  A.  R.  Post 
jtresented  the  Dwight  Sons  of  Veterans 
Cam])  with  a  handsome  silk  Hag  in 
February.  Miss  Susan  Real  and  Ed. 
Christman  are  married  Feb.  <>.  Miss 
Nora  Burke  and  Simon  Rhode  Feb.  5. 
S,  Bergman,    biother  of  Dr.   Bergman, 


died  in  February.  Dr.  Milton  Keeley  is 
made  surgeon  of  the  Fifth  Regiment,  I. 
N.  G.,  with  the  rank  of  Major.  Miss 
Lulu  Cole  passes  away  Feb.  11,  after  a 
long  illness.  Mrs.  Henry  Burke  dies 
Feb.  14.  The  Dwight  high  school  cele- 
brated Washington's  birthday.  Miss 
Anna  Chalmers  and  .lohn  L.  Burnham 
are  married  Feb.  21.  Dr.  C.  H.  Jiarr  is 
appointed  surgeon  of  the  Alton  road. 
James  Kelagher  is  appointed  postmas- 
ter the  last  of  February.  His  portrait 
will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  work. 
Peter  Sands  dies  March  5.  Miss  Jennie 
Briibaker  and  C.  T.  Ingraham  are  mar- 
ried March  7.  Dwight  Morgan  finishes 
his  first  report  of  the  railroads  of  Illi- 
nois. The  sad  news  is  received  of  the 
accidental  death  of  Wm.  A.  Chamber- 
lain in  Kansas.  The  remains  were 
brought  to  Dwight  for  interment.  Wm. 
E.  Austin  is  found  dead  in  bed,  sup- 
j)osed  to  have  died  of  heart  disease. 
Herman  Overbeck  dies  suddenly.  J.D. 
Rutan  dies  in  Iowa.  Edwin  Mezgar  & 
Co.  purchased  the  elevator  so  long  run 
by  Jesse  Deifenbach.  Edward  O.  Reed 
annoiuices  himself  in  the  Star  and  Her- 
as  a  candidate  for  the  rei)ublican  nomi- 
nation for  sheriff.  He  afterwards  re- 
ceived the  nomination  and  was  elect- 
ed by  a  large  majority.  Hahn  Bros, 
make  improvements  in  their  elevator. 
Miss  Carrie  M.  Branson  and  James  E. 


102 


HISTORY  OF  DWiGiiT,  illi:nois. 


Gregory  are  married  in  Pontiac  March 
27.  A  new  train  is  put  on  the  Alton 
between  Bloorolngton  and  Jollet.    Rev. 

E.  F.  "Wright  is  engaged  as  pastor  of 
the  Congregational  church,  which  posi- 
tion he  still  holds,  and  is  beloved  by  his 
tiock. 

As  municipal  election  time  came 
around  there  were  two  parties  in  the 
held.  Neither  one  was  for  license,  but 
one  ticket  was  under  the  name  of 
"Anti-License,"  and  the  other  "("iti- 
zens"."  The  caucuses  were  held  and  the 
following  nominations  made :  Anti- 
License— F.  A.  liaise,  president ;  Eu- 
gene Flagler,  John  Oeis,  L.  A.  Naffzi- 
ger,  trustees  ;  Frank  L.  Smith,  clerk. 
Citizens'-II.  Fox,  president  ;  Samuel 
McLane,  Ed.  IIahn,M.  Starrett,  trustees; 
Henry  McLane,  clerk.  After  a  sharp 
canvass  the  following    were    elected  : 

F.  A.  Haise,  president ;  Samuel  Mc- 
Lane, L.  A.  Naffziger,  Eugene  Flagler, 
trustees ;  Frank  Smith,  clerk.  The 
board  was  an  t^xc^llent  one  and  did 
good  work. 

The  township  nominations  were  made 
as  follows  :  Democratic  W.  H.  Ketch- 
am,  supervisor  ;  (ieorge  Baker,  town 
clerk;  L.  J.  Trunnell,  assessor;  J. 
Diefenbaugh,  collector  ;  Jacob  Christ- 
man,  commissioner;  J.  Gammel. 
trustee,  liepublican— R.  H.  Mills,  su- 
pervisor ;  E.  T.  Miller,  clerk  ;  AVm.  R. 
Brown,  assessor  ;  L.  Heeder,  collector  ; 
AVm.  Christensen.  commissi(Mier  :  A.  P. 
Conant,  trustee.  The  whole  liepublican 
ticket  was  elected  by  an  average  ma- 
jority of  118.  Mrs.  Mary  Ivens.  mother 
of  liert  Ivens.  died  in  Chicago  and  was 
buried  in  Dwight.  Claude  ^V.  Thomp- 
son, son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  K. 
Thompson,  of  Union,  dies  in  April. 
Nicholas  Minster,  father  of  Mrs.  (ieo. 
L.Kern,  dies  at  his  home  in  Ottawa. 
James  Kelagher  takes  the  postottice  and 
appoints  .lolui    Dolierty  chief  deputy. 


Dick  Thornton  goes  into  partnership 
with  DeWitt  Miller  in  the  restaurant 
business.  Capt.  Geo.  H.  Wentz,  former 
sheriff  of  Livingston  county,  dies.  Miss 
Maggie  Kelly  and  Joseph  J.  Ribordy 
and  Miss  Lizzie  Kelly  and  John  F. 
Comeford  were  married  in  April.  Miss 
Maggie  Morrissey  and  James  Haggerty 
are  married. 

The  spring  school  election  in  1894  was 
the  tirst  one  in  some  time  that  had 
caused  much  excitement.  Two  cau- 
cuses were  held,  the  tirst  one  nomi- 
nating Col.  R.  P.  Morgan  for  president 
of  the  Board  of  Education,  and  .Mrs.  C. 
M.  Baker  and  Mrs.  A.  (i.  Iluey  for 
mem.bers  of  the  board.  The  other  caii- 
cus  nominated  A.  Brubaker  for  i)resi- 
dent  and  John  Pettett  and  AV.  II.  Doty 
for  members.  Then  some  friends  of  V. 
S.  Wright  nominated  him,  and  there 
were  three  tickets  in  the  field.  The 
ladies  took  advantage  of  their  rights 
and  turned  out  in  great  numbers  and 
voted.  The  result  was  the  election  of 
A.  Brubaker.  John  Pettett  and  Mrs.  C. 
M.  Baker.  There  were  522  votes  cast 
in  three  hours.  Some  of  the  old  mem- 
bers of  the  town  board  were  sued  for  a 
bill  by  the  Massac  Iron  company.  The 
case  was  afterwards  settled.  The  Star 
and  Herald  commences  to  publish  the 
contents  of  this  history.  The  Dwight 
Odd  Fellows  celebrate  their  seventy- 
fifth  anniversary  of  the  order.  Thos. 
Morrissey  dies  in  April.  The  Scott 
House  is  moved  to  the  grounds  where  it 
is  at  present  located.  Dr.  AV.  II.  Weld 
located  in  Dwight  for  the  ])ractice  of 
medicine.  Later  he  moved  to  Council 
IJlul'l's,  Iowa.  The  Moody  quartette 
gave  an  entertainment  in  the  Congrega- 
tional church.  The  Dwight  school  gave 
a  very  excellent  exhibit  of  jiractical 
work  which  was  of  very  much  interest. 
At  the  first  meeting  of^  the  new  board 
liohert   Oi-r   was'  reappointed    marshal 


HISTORY  OF  DWKHIT,  ILLINOIS, 


in:? 


and  street  commissioner,  "Wm.  Miller 
ni^lit  watchman,  Dwight  Mills  engineer 
and  }i.  B.  Buck  village  treasurer. 
Commander  Ayling.  Comrades  Wil- 
liams, Parsons  and  Mesdames  AV.  (i. 
Dustin,  Williams  and  Austin  visit 
Kockl'ord  as  delegates  to  the  state  en- 
campment of  G.  A.  11.  and  W.  R.  C. 
The  second-hand  store  is  robbed.  Mrs. 
G.  W.  Boyer  celebrates  her  sixty-sixth 
natal  day,  May  IL  Prof.  W.  T.  Wilson 
resigned  the  superintendency  of  the 
Dwight  schools.  Prof.  J.  H.  Meneely 
was  engaged  in  his  stead.  He  is  the 
present  superintendent  and  is  an  excel- 
lent instructor.  His  portrait  Avill  be 
found  in  this  book. 

C.  li.  Tombaugh  for  county  -superin- 
tendent of  schools,  Col.  J.  B.  Parsons 
for  county  treasurer,  Fred  Duckett  for 
county  clerk,  C.  M.  Barickman  for 
judge,  O.  F.  Avery  for  judge,  C.  H.  F. 
Carrithers  for  judge,  announce  their 
wishes  in  the  Star  and  Herald.  "Ye 
Okie  Folks"  ■■  concert,  given  at  M.  E. 
church,  was  a  very  entertaining  affair. 
Decoration  Day  was  celebrated  as  never 
before  in  Dwight  this  year.  Kev.  E.  F. 
Wright  i)reached  the  memorial  sermon 
and  Rev.  C.  AV.  Ayling  delivered  the 
oration  in  Oak  Lawn  cemetery.  There 
were  thousands  of  people  present  frcmi 
miles  around.  Mrs.  Robert  Liggett 
dies  at  her  home  in  Normal,  May  2. 
The  funeral  was  held  in  Dwight,  her 
home  for  so  many  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Henry  Miller  lose  a  little  child  by  death. 
The  fourteenth  annual  commencement 
of  Dwight  high  school  was  held  in  the 
oi)era  house.  ••Light"  was  selected  as 
the  motto,  and  the  graduates  were : 
Misses  Alary  Fitield.  Marie  K.  Petersen 
and  Emma  A.  (Jroll.  Pr(jf.  Nilson  ccm- 
'  ferred  the  diplomas.  ,].M.  Owen  dies 
after  a  severe  illness.  Children's  day 
was  appropriately  celebrated  by  the 
churches.     Gen.  Smith  I).  Atkins  visits 


Dwight.     Dr.   Leslie  F.  Keeley,  Major 

C.  J.  Judd,  Mrs.  Dr.  Blaine,  Mrs.  Dr. 
Barr,  Mrs.  AV.  (i.  Dustin,  Mrs.  AV.  T. 
Prime,  Mrs.  Anna  Barr,  Mrs.  Gertie 
Kaylor,  Judge  AV.  S.  Arnold,  AV.  T. 
Prime,  J.  J.  Miller,  AVillard  S.  Brown 
and  AV.  G.  Dustin  attend  the  state  con- 
venti(m  Keeley  League  at  Bloomington- 
Mrs.  Alf.  Baker  celebrates  her  tifty- 
fourth  natal  day,  June  Ki.  Mrs.  Sarah 
Sterrett  dies  sviddenly  June  22.  Her  re- 
mains were  taken  to  Pittsburg.  Jesse 
Slyder  visits  his  son  in  Denver.  The 
Star  and  Herald  issues  another  patri- 
otic, red,  white  and  blue  paper  in  honor 
of  July  4.  A.  B.  Conant  receives  a  very 
severe  kick  from  a  horse.  Bert  Ivens 
and  family  move  to  Chicago.  The 
great  strike  is  on  and  for  a  few  days  no 
trains  moved.  The  whole  country  was 
paralyzed,  and  the  result  was  the  great- 
est strike  ever  known.  The  hardware 
store  of  B.  A.  Buck  was  burglarized. 
Miss  Nellie  Cunliffe  and  Alex.  Cupples, 
of  Chicago,  were  married  June  27.  July 
4  was  celebrated  in  the  grand  old  way  in 
1894.  The  city  was  crowded  with  people 
and  everybody  stayed  in  Dwight  whether 
they  wanted  to  or  not,  for  the  great  strike 
was  on  and  no  trains  were  moving.  The 
parade  was  very  nice,  there  being  sev- 
eral hundred  school  children  in  line,  each 
carrying  tiags.  The  president  of  the 
day  was  Mayor  F.  A.   Haise,  Marshals 

D.  B.  Stevens  and  Edr  McAVilliams. 
Misses  Lizzie  AVinkler,  Emma  Barr  and 
Myrtle  AVheatley  represented  red,  white 
and  blue,  on  horseback.  Rev.  C.  AV. 
Ayling  was  the  speaker  and  delivered  a 
splendid  address.  The  exercises  jjassed 
off'  very  pleasantly  from  early  morning 
to  late  at  night.  About  7  o'clock  in  the 
evening  John  (Jeis's  cigar  store  caught 
lire,  but  was  immediately  squelched  by 
the  lire  company  and  the  great  worth 
of  the  water  works  was  once  more  dem- 
onstrated.   Miss  Estella  J.  Flagler  and 


104 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


Everett  B.  Lewis  were marriedJune  30. 
Mrs.  John  Thompson  passes  away  July 
7,  after  a  long  illness.  B.  A.  Buck  at- 
tends the  Democratic  congressional 
convention  at  Streator,  where  Hon. 
Robert  Gibbons  was  nominated.  The 
Leslie  E.  Keeley  Co.  purchases  the  J.  A. 
Hayes  farm  for  .S21, 000  and  sells  it  to 
J.  11.  Ought  on  for  .$14,000,  and  thus  the 
sewer  question  was  settled  forever.  The 
following  gentlemen  attended  the  Re- 
publican county  convention  as  dele- 
gates :  C.  L.  Romberger,  R.  H.  Mills, 
Ed.  McWilliams,  Will  Bartholic,  Thos. 
Weldon,  Joseph  Burnham,  Frank  L. 
Smith,  J.  C.  Lewis,  E.  II.  Kneeland,  Or- 
ville  Brown,  Ame  Orr,  Martin  Seabert, 
H.F.  Adams,  Lee  Reeder,R.  I).  Gregg. 
As  is  well  known  I) wight's  candidate. 
Col.  J.  B.  Parsons,  was  nominated  at 
this  convention  and  subsequently 
elected  county  treasurer  by  a  large  ma- 
jority. D.  McWilliams,  C.  L.  Romber- 
ger and  W.  G.  Dustin  attend  the  con- 
gressional convention  at  Streator. 
Capt.  T.  C.  FuUerton  was  nominated 
for  congress  and  afterward  died  sud- 
denly, and  Hon.  Walter  Reeves,  of 
Streator,  was  nominated  and  duly 
elected.  Col.  Parsons,  J.  F.  Wassell, 
Frank  Smith  and  W.  (}.  Dustin  attend 
the  Republican  State  convention  at 
Springtield.  Jacob  Christman  has  two 
horses  killed  by  lightning.  The  Star 
and  Herald  publishes  a  very  interesting 
Jetter  written  by  C.  J.  Judd  from  Nan- 
tucket, July  28.  Mrs.  Morrison,  mother 
of  Mrs.C.  (i.  Barr,  dies  July  2t).  Fol- 
lowing were  the  delegates  elected  to  the 
Democratic  county  convention  :  S.  T. 
K.  Prime,  John  Thompson,  L.  J.  Trun- 
nell,  Peter  Ileinen,  J.  Christman,  I'hil 
Shrimpton,  D.  C.  Morgan,  M.  C.  Star- 
rett,  Geo.  N.  Flagler,  John  (Jeis  and 
John  Korrect.  They  were  instructed 
for  H.  F.  Mcllduff  forjudge  and  .John 
C.  fieorge  for  clerk,  (two  former  Dwight 


men)  and  carried  their  point,  but  the 
candidates  were  defeated  at  the  polls. 
R.  H.  Mills  and  W.  G.  Dustin  attended 
the  senatorial  convention  at  Wenona. 
Miss  Louise  de  Clercq  and  Samuel  C. 
Jennings  were  married  August  1.  Miss 
Louise  McWilliams  spends  several 
months  abroad.  Major  ]Milton  Keeley 
is  called  out  with  his  regiment  during 
the  great  strike.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Leslie 
E.  Keeley  enjoy  a  pleasant  trip  to 
Alaska.  II.  A.  Kenyon  accepts  the  po- 
sition of  manager  of  the  Leslie  E.  Kee- 
ley Co.'s  business.  Mr.  Leonard  IIow- 
lett  erects  a  handsome  house  on  Mazon 
avenue.  Mrs.  Charles  L.  Romberger 
comes  home  in  August  after  a  severe 
illness  in  Chicago.  II.  W.  Reed,  son-in- 
law  of  Mrs.  Koehnlein,  dies  in  August 
in  California.  Dwight  Mills  resigns  in 
August  and  Freeman  Spencer  is  ap- 
pointed engineer  of  the  water  works. 
Major  R.  W.  Hendershot,  the  original 
dnuiimer  boy  of  Shiloh,  visits  Dwight 
and  gives  an  entertainment.  Austni 
Gibbons,  W,  H.  Ketcham  and  PI  T. 
Potter  attend  the  Democratic  senatorial 
convention  at  Minonk.  Congressman 
Thomas  J.  Henderson,  of  Bureau 
coxinty,  and  Judge  Henry  Mayo,  of  La 
Salle  county,  candidates  for  congress, 
visit  Dwight.  The  Dwight  (iun  Club 
is  organized  August  HJ,  and  the  follow- 
ing otlicers  were  elected  :  President.  .1. 
l\.  Oughton  ;  vice  president,  H.  F. 
Adams  ;  secretary  and  treasurer,  C.  W 
Bower  ;  executive  committee,  George 
Tate,  Robert  Orr  and  the  otlicers  named; 
ca])1ain.  Doc  llause.  The  club  is  in  a 
nourishing  condition  and  hold  regular 
shoots.  Prof.  J.  II.  Meneely,  of  Dwight, 
was  granted  a  })er])etual  certilicate  for 
teaching.  Miss  Fowler,  of  Evanstoii. 
occupies  the  ]M.  F.  church  pulpit  with 
ability  Sunday,  August  I'.».  .1.  A.  Web- 
ster and  family  left  for  their  old  home 
in    New    York    to   reside  thei'e  permu- 


;ii 


Robert  Thompson. 


Levi  Reeder. 


W.  H.  Taylor. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


103 


nently.  Col.  R.  P.  Morgan  makes  val- 
uable improvements  in  his  beautiful 
home.  The  Congregational  Sunday 
School  picnic  in  Vickery's  grove  was  a 
very  pleasant  affair  in  August.  The 
Dwight  Board  of  Education  issue  a 
pamphlet  of  rules  and  regulations. 
They  have  been  a  source  of  much  good. 
The  Star  and  Herald  presents  views  of 
the  Dwight  school  houses.  They  are 
also  presented  in  this  work.  Miss  Artie 
F.  Pollard  and  Mr.  W.  N.  Fisher  were 
married  September  6,  at  the  home  of 
Hon.  O.  "NV.  I'ollard.  They  reside  at  the 
home  of  the  groom  in  Attleboro,  Mass. 
R.  D.  Gregg  sells  his  farm  one  mile  from 
Dwight  to  Dr.  Palm  for  $111  per  acre. 
Uncle  James  Smith  visits  relatives  and 
friends  in  the  east,  Jesse  Slyder  visits 
his  son  in  Denver;  E.  H.  Kneeland 
visits  Niagara  Falls;  Thomas  Fallis 
visits  his  old  home  in  Ohio;  all  old 
and  honored  citizens.  Dr.  Leslie  E. 
Keeley,  Major  C.  J.  Judd,  Judge  W.  A. 
Arnold,  J.  J.  Miller,  and  "W.  G.  Dustin 
attend  the  National  Keeley  League  con- 
vention at  Colorado  Springs  and  enjoy 
a  splendid  visit.  A  man  named  Sulli- 
van, from  Chicago,  was  run  over  by  the 
cars  and  lost  an  arm.  The  lllini  Club 
was  organized  September  11,  and  has 
conducted  a  course  of  lectures  since, 
which  have  been  a  source  of  much  in- 
terest to  the  club  and  citizens  generally. 
Prof.  J.  H.  Meneely  was  elected  chair- 
man and  Will  J.  Leach  secretary.  The 
Modern  Woodmen  of  Dwight,  Gardner, 
Mazon  and  Verona  have  their  lirst  an- 
nual picnic  six  miles  north  of  Dwight 
and  enjoyed  a  very  pleasant  day  consid- 
ering the  weather.  State  Chaplain  E. 
F.  Wright,  of  Dwight,  delivered  a  line 
oration.  Miss  Jean  Cantner  and  Judge 
AV.  A.  Arnold  were  married  September 
19,  at  the  home  of  the  bride  at  Monti- 
cello,  111.  They  reside  in  Dwight  at 
this  time.    L.  A.  Rutan,  of  Staplehurst, 


Neb.,  visits  his  old  home  here.  Frank 
Travis,  formerly  of  Dwight,  is  killed 
by  the  cars  in  Chicago.  Mrs.  J.  A. 
Austin  passes  away  September  18,  after 
a  long  illness.  Miss  Eliner  Jensen  and 
Herbert  Palmer,  of  Janesville,  Wis.,  are 
married  September  18.  They  reside  in 
Janesville.  Miss  Kate  Foersterling  and 
Henry  Seagert  are  married  September 
16.  They  reside  in  Dwight.  Dr.  Keeley 
lectures  in  Tabor  Opera  House  in  Den- 
ver and  meets  with  an  ovation.  Rev. 
C.  W.  Ayling  attends  the  M.  E.  confer- 
ence  and  is  returned  to  Dwight,  which 
was  a  gratification  to  his  many  friends 
in  Dwight.  He  is  here  at  the  close  of 
this  history— 1895.  A  large  number  of 
Dwightites  go  to  Pontiac  to  listen  to 
Senator  Cullom  speak.  Also  a  number 
go  to  Peoria  or  Springtield  and  hear  Gov- 
ernor McKinley,  of  Ohio.  The  Dwight 
Amusement  Club  give  the  "event  of 
the  season"  in  Lyceum  hall  in  Septem- 
ber. Quite  a  number  of  Dwight  Dem- 
ocrats go  to  Chatsworth  to  hear  Mr.  Mc- 
Veagh,  of  Chicago,  speak,  and  to  Strea- 
tor  to  listen  to  Vice-President  Steven- 
son. John  McWilliams  takes  some  of 
his  best  horses  to  the  state  fair  and  cap- 
tures some  prizes.  The  barbers  decide 
to  close  up  Sundays.  D.  McWilliams 
takes  a  pleasure  trip  to  Maine  and  other 
eastern  states.  He  gives  .^10,000  to  the 
church  extension  fund  of  the  M.  E.  con- 
ference. James  xVustin  visits  Dwight 
from  his  home  in  Nebraska.  AV.  H. 
Bradbury,  of  Topeka,  Kansas,  visits 
Dwight  and  meets  his  old  friends.  His 
portrait  will  be  found  m  this  history. 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Lyle  Saxon  lectures  in 
Dwight  in  October.  Mrs.  Wm.  Reeder 
passes  away  October  8  after  a  long  ill- 
ness. Mrs.  Paulsen  and  Patrick  Coyne 
wed  in  October.  Miss  Ellen  O'Connor 
and  George  Mullen  are  married  in  Chi- 
cago October  7.  W .  G.  Dustin  was 
elected  one  of  the  vice-presidents  of  the 


10  i 


IIISTOllY  OF  DWIGIIT.  ILLI^UIS. 


Illinois  State  Eepublican  League.  Hev. 
E.  F.  Wright  is  elected  chairman  of  the 
Congregational  association  of  this  dis- 
trict. Mr.  and  Mrs.  II.  McLane  visit  in 
Nebraska.  The  sixth  annual  reunion 
of  the  129th  Illinois  volunteer  infantry 
was  held  in  Fairbury.  Major  Judd  is 
the  historian  and  reads  a  splendid  pa- 
per. H.  A.  Kenyon  and  X.  Riggs  are 
also  present  from  Dwight.  '1  he  Star 
and  Herald  published  a  full  report.  On 
the  evenmg  of  October  18  Thomas 
Comeford,  an  old  resident,  lost  his  life 
while  crossing  the  Chicago  &  Alton 
railroad  tracks  on  Chippawa  street. 
He  was  in  a  milk  wagon  at  the  time. 
The  funeral  was  largely  attended,  the 
G.  A.  R.,  of  which  the  deceased  was  a 
member,  attended  m  a  body,  also  the 
Sons  of  Veterans  and  the  Woman's  Re- 
lief Corps.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  T.  Prime 
celebrated  the  tenth  anniversary  of  their 
wedding  October  15.  Capt.  Gibbons 
speaks  in  the  opera  house.  Hon.  Wal- 
ter Reeves  and  Hon.  George  Torrance 
speak  in  the  opera  house.  The  C.  &.  A. 
have  quite  a  serious  wreck  near  the  hay- 
press  factory.  A  number  of  freight  cars 
are  smashed.  J.  I).  McCarty  is  quite 
badly  injured  and  dies  October  20.  The 
family  moved  here  from  Odell.  The 
widow  subsequently  started  the  Home 
Bakery  in  Dwight.  Harry  Diffenbaugh, 
of  Washington,  Kansas,  visits  his 
father  and  friends  here  in  October  and 
November.  The  general  election  cam- 
paign in  Dwight  was  quiet  and  good 
natured.  The  result  was  about  the 
same  all  over  the  country—a  Rei)ubli- 
can  land  slide.  The  village  was  divided 
into  two  voting  precincts  for  the  first 
time  and  nearly  OOO  votes  were  cast. 
Major  McClaughry  delivers  his  cele- 
brated lecture  on  "Crimes  and  Crimin- 
als," November  8,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  mini  Club.  The  grandest  camp- 
(h-e  ever  held  in  this  part  of  the  country 


was  held  in  Dwight,  November  13.  1894. 
It  was  held  in  the  opera  house,  which 
was  crowded.  National  Commander 
Thomas  G.  Lawler,  of  Rockford,  and 
Quartermaster  (Jeneral  J.  W.  Rurst,  of 
Sycamore.  Capt.  O.  F.  Avery  and  W. 
H.  .Jenkins,  of  Pontiac,  and  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  I  iickett,  of  Forest,  were  present. 
The  program  was  excellent  and  the 
speeches  full  of  patriotism.  The  camp- 
fire  was  repeated  shortly  after  with 
marked  success.  After  the  camp-fire 
the  citizens  of  Dwight  gave  the  distin- 
guished visitors  a  banquet  at  the  Liv- 
ingston, at  wliich  one  hundred  plates 
were  spread.  Col.  R.  P.  Morgan  acted 
as  loastmaster. 

Miss  Mary  Triplett,  of  Budd,  and 
Emil  Karmie,  of  Nevada,  were  married 
at  the  M.  E.  parsonage  November  10. 
II.  T.  McLane  sends  the  Star  and  Her- 
ald an  interesting  letter  from  Nebraska. 
The  Congregational  Association  held  a 
fellowship  meeting  in  I  wight  and  meet 
with  much  success.  One  of  the  nu)St 
important  transfers  made  in  this  local- 
ity was  brought  about.  Major  C.  J. 
Judd  purchased  the  well. known  Ber- 
tholy  Home  of  S.  T.  K.  Prime  and  son. 
and  they  in  turn  purchase  the  elegant 
home  of  Major  Judd  in  Dwight,  the 
latter  having  moved  to  Chicago  with 
his  family.  H.  A.  Kenyon  j)urchased 
the  handsome  property  known  as  the 
"typists  home."  Spencer  P^ldridge  pur- 
chases the  G.  S.  Baker  home  on  Chij)- 
]iewa  street.  The  district  convention 
of  the  Epworth  League  was  held  in 
Dwight  in  November,  and  many  were 
present  from  neighboring  counties  and 
towns.  The  meeting  was  a  very  inter- 
esting one.  Among  the  distinguished 
visitors  was  Bishoji  Merrill.  The  fam- 
ily of  Henry  Tonibaugh  in  Iowa  sulTei- 
from  the  effects  of  a  cyclone. 

The  Star  and  Herald  announces  that 
all   the   paper   will   be  printed  at  home. 


IIISTOKY  OF  UWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


105 


which  is  a  sure  sign  of  jjrospeiity.  The 
(iun  Club  held  a  very  interesting  shoot 
Thanksgiving  day.  A  township  Sun- 
day Scliool  convention  was  held  in 
Dwight  December  9,  and  was  very  suc- 
cessful. Miss  Martha  McAllister  and 
Henry  Christman  are  married  in  Odell 
November  30.  Mrs.  Mary  Foot  and 
Jared  A\'illianis  were  married  at  the 
bride's  home  in  Missouri,  November  27. 
JMartni  Wilks,  an  old  and  respected  cit- 
izen and  (J rand  Army  man.  dies  No- 
vember 27.  Frank  McAllister,  of  Odell, 
formerly  of  L) wight,  passed  away  in 
Odell  December  3.  The  Star  and  Her- 
ald publishes  a  series  of  letters  from 
Pontiac.  which  create  much  interest. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  W.  Boyer  return  from 
several  months"  visit  to  their  old  home 
and  neighborhood  in  Pennsylvania. 
Rev.  F.  W.  Merrill,  a  former  pastor  of 
the  M.  l"!  church,  now  (1895)  at  Roch 
Island,  delivered  his  lecture,  "Dreams 
and  Dreamers,"  at  .M.  E.  church.  The 
reverend  gentleman  received  a  warm 
reception  here.  'J  he  first  annual  tourn- 
ament of  the  Dwight  Gun  Club  was 
held  December  27  and  28  and  was  a  suc- 
cess. Miss  Clara  A.  Hibner  and  Peter 
J,  Young  are  married  at  the  home  of 
the  bride  December  17.  The  doll  fair 
given  by  the  Y.  W.  C  T.U.  atM.  E. 
church,  was  a  very  pretty  and  success- 
ful affair  Freden  Lodge,  1).  B,  give 
tiieir  anual  masquerade  with  their  usual 
sjilendid  succsss  The  Alton  railroad 
issue  an  order  that  no  man  who  works 
for  them  shall  go  in  a  saloon  or  drink 
intoxicants  Sarah  Knudsen  and  Hans 
C.  Sorensen,  Miss  Anna  K.  Oleson  and 
and   Andrew    Rock,  and   Miss    Jennie 


Mahannah  and  Ed.  Pfeff'erman  are  mar" 
ried  in  December.  '1  he  1.  1  &  I  com- 
mence moving  passenger  trains  and 
carrying  mail  in  December,  and  their 
efforts  meet  with  Mattering  success.  A 
pretty  cantata,  "King  Winter,"'  was 
given  at  the  M.  E.  church  for  Christ- 
mas The  Congregational  church  also 
had  a  very  pleasant  entertainment,  and 
all  the  churches  celebrated  the  holi- 
days for  the  children  in  some  manner 
I)leasing  to  all.  Revs.  Swanson,  of 
Odell,  and  Wright,  of  Dwight,  Congre- 
gational pastors,  commence  the  publi- 
cation of  a  handsome  monthly  news- 
paper, called  The  Outlook.  Miss  Ste- 
vens and  Mr.  H  I).  Gillispie  are  mar- 
ried in  December  and  afterwards  visit 
in  Kansas.  Many  young  people  going 
to  school  away  and  people  employed  in 
other  places,  came  home  during  the 
holidays ,  and  the  "gladdest  of  the  year" 
seemed  to  be  spent  appropriately  by  all. 
AVe  now  near  the  close  of  this  history, 
having  given  the  important  historical 
facts  as  far  as  was  in  our  power  to  do 
so.  It  is  not  necessary  for  us  to  state 
that  we  have  not  gotten  everything  that 
happened  encased  between  these  covers, 
or  even  all  the  important  events.  I  here 
were  some  years  it  was  impossible  for 
us  to  get  any  reliable  information, 
and  we  simjjly  repeat  that  we  have  done 
the  best  we  could,  and  submit  our  work 
for  your  kind  consideration  Many  in- 
teresting •'])ersonal  recollections""  will 
follow,  and  other  matter. 
Yours  truly, 
Di  SPIN  A:  Prime, 

Publishers. 


106 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


CHAPTER  XI. 
FRATERNAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


ladies'  benevolent  society. 

In  Dwight,  111.,  ia  the  afternoon  of 
Tebruary  2, 1880,  fifteen  ladies  met  with 
Mrs.  Hetzel  in  her  home  to  organize  a 
society  to  be  known  as  the  Ladies'  Be- 
nevolent Society  of  the  Congregational 
Church.  The  plan  of  organization  was 
this  :  A  lady  could  become  a  member 
of  this  society  on  the  payment  of  an 
initiation  fee  of  25  cents,  and  pledge 
herself  to  assist  in  whatever  work  the 
society  should  engage.  Torecompence 
her  for  three  hours'  work  per  week, 
receive  credit  for  five  cents,  and  if  she 
should  be  absent,  or  present,  and  work 
for  herself,  she  must  pay  a  fine  of  5 
cents  to  the  society. 

The  object  of  this  society  in  the 
minds  of  all,  was  to  do  that  work, 
for  aid  of  the  church,  which  presented 
itself.  The  first  object  in  the  minds  of 
some,  was  to  raise  funds  to  purchase  a 
bell  for  the  church.  The  charter  mem- 
bers were  the  following  ladies  :  Mes- 
dames  Adams,  Brubaker,  Cornell,  Cad- 
wallader,  Cary,  Eldridge,  S.  Eldridge, 
Estes,  Hartley,  McClure,  Newell,  Jor- 
den,  Parsons  and  Pool.  Mrs.  Hartley 
was  elected  president;  Mrs.  Jorden, 
secretary;  Mrs.  Hetzel, treasurer.  The 
latter  retained  the  office  ten  years,  and 
on  her  retiring  Mrs.  Adams  was  elected 
and  still  continues  in  office. 

In    these    years    many    ladies    have 


joined  the  society  and  have  withdrawn 
only  to  engage  in  work  in  new  fields, 
while  but  three  have  severed  the  tie  to 
join  the  society  angels.  For  the  first 
years  of  its  existence  this  society  fol- 
lowed so  close  the  scriptural  injunction, 
"Let  not  thy  left  hand  know  what  thy 
right  hand  doeth,"  that  they  kept  no 
records,  save  of  moneys  raised  and  ex- 
pended. Nothing  was  said  of  the 
money  given  to  buy  back  the  cow  taken 
from  a  poor  woman  for  debt,  nor  of  the 
boxes  of  clothing  sent  to  sufferers  from 
fire,  tlood  and  famine,  and  yet  each  box 
represented  money  as  well  as  hours  and 
days  of  weary  work,  and  often  a  great 
sacrifice  of  strength.  Not  one  word  as 
to  where  applied.  In  1886  the  ladies, 
believing  their  business  policy  to  be 
defective,  appointed  a  committee  to 
draft  a  constitution.  The  report  of 
this  committee,  by  a  full  vote,  was 
adopted.  Since  which  time  one  hour 
each  week  is  devoted  to  business  which 
is  duly  recorded  for  future  reference — 
a  great  help  to  poor  memories.  Now, 
the  fifteenth  year  of  this  society's  ex- 
istence has  nearly  closed.  Fifteen  years 
organized  to  aid  tlie  cause  of  Christ, 
Let  us  see  if  it  has,  and  how  it  has,  met 
its  obligations.  You  will  say,  on  lirst 
thought,  that  it  has  failed  in  one  of  its 
first  objects.  It  has  purchased  no  bell. 
We  declare  that  in  these  fifteen  years 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


lo-; 


it  has  purchased  many  bells,  the  tones 
of  which  are  not  audible  to  human  ears, 
tor,  only  by  God,  and  the  angels,  are 
they  heard. 

These  ladies  seem  never  to  shrink 
from  any  strain  to  nerve  or  muscles, 
but  take  up  with  clieerfulness  what- 
evei  work  is  offered  them,  from  the 
scrubbing  of  the  church  to  the  tying  of 
eighteen  comforts  for  one  of  our  lead- 
ing mercliants.  During  these  years, 
and  by  these  means,  have  they  been 
enabled  to  help  at  different  times  to 
pay  the  pastor's  salary,  and  for  six  years 
paid  ail  the  incidental  expenses  of  the 
church,  contributed  quite  a  sum  to  the 
organ  fund,  and  last,  but  not  least, 
paid  many  old  debts,  of  their  own 
choice,  although  in  no  way  were  they 
responsible  for  them.  The  society's 
membership  has  never  exceeded  thirty- 
five,  and  yet  it  has  raised  in  these  years 
$2,520.42.  The  greatest  amount  ever 
raised  in  one  year  being  $282  54,  and 
the  least  $72.95.  Along  with  this  hard 
work  has  come  much  of  brightness  and 
pleasure,  as  the  vearly  anniversaries 
show,  at  which  times  the  honorary 
members  of  the  society  (namely,  the 
husbands)  are  invited  to  a  great  spread 
and  the  hours  are  spent  in  feasting  and 
merriment.  The  present  list  of  oflticers 
are  the  following  ladies  :  President, 
Mrs.  J.  C.  Lewis  ;  vice-president,  Mrs. 
B.  A.  Buck ;  secretary,  Mrs.  John 
Koehler  ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  A.E.Adams. 
Executive  Committee— .Mesdaraes  Ba- 
ker, Spencer.  Doty,  Adams  and   Buck. 

Oa  these  ladies  you  may  call  if  you 
have  any  piece  of  work  you  want  done, 
from  that  of  the  artist  to  the  cook  or 
nurse. 


prosperous  condition.  It  was  organ- 
ized in  May,  1889,  with  a  membership 
of  sixteen.  Since  that  time  the  inter- 
est has  been  constantly  increasing,  new 
members  being  added  until  there  are 
now  enrolled  fifty-eight.  Meetings  are 
held  once  a  month,  at  which  very  in- 
teresting and  instructive  papers  are 
read  on  different  fields  of  missionary 
work,  and  thus  the  members  are  all  in- 
terested in  the  work  of  helping  send 
the  gospel  to  foreign  lands,  the  purpose 
of  the  organization'  $l'i5  being  sent 
this  past  conference  year.  The  officers 
are  as  follows  :  President,  Mrs.  Man- 
ning Smith  ;  first  vice-president,  Mrs. 
Darwin  Stevens;  second  vice-president, 
Mrs.  John  Leach  ;  corresponing  secre- 
tary, Mrs.  Frank  liaise  ;  recording  sec- 
retary. Miss  Luella  Stevens  ;  treasurer, 
Mrs.  p'rank  Bell. 


MISSIONARY  SOCJIETY. 

The  Dwight  Auxiliary  of  the  Wo- 
man's Foreign  >^Iissionary  Society  of 
the  M.  E.  church  is  at  present  in  a  very 


EASTERN  STAR. 

Dwight  Chapter  No.  166,  of  the  order 
of  the  Eastern  Star,  was  organized  Oc- 
tober 31,  1890,  with  thirteen  charter 
members. 

This  order  was  instituted  to  afford  a 
larger  reign  of  peace  and  love  upon 
earth,  to  erect  a  shrine  where  the  bur- 
dened heart  could  pour  out  its  sorrows 
and  distress  find  relief. 

The  Eastern  Star  is  closely  related  to 
the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  although 
related  to  it  by  the  dearest  ties,  yet  it  is 
no  part  of  the  ancient  order.  But 
woman's  heart  beats  responsive  to  the 
same  inspiration  that  prompts  man  to 
noble  deeds,  and  seeks  through  the 
Eastern  Star  to  become  a  co-worker 
with  the  Masonic  brotherhood.  And  it 
is  for  this  purpose  that  we  assemble  in 
our  chapter  room. 

During  the  t\\e  years  of  our  exist- 
ence many  pleasant  evenings  have  been 
spent  together,  several  banquets  spread 
and  picnics  enjoyed,  each  one  binding 


108 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILH:N0IS. 


the  sisters  more  closely  together. 

The  officers  have  secured  for  them- 
selves an  elegant  set  of  robes,  vehich 
adds  greatly  to  the  Interest  of  the  v^ork. 

We  congratulate  ourselves  upon  hav- 
ing in  our  number  one  proficient  in 
drill  work  as  Brother  John  Pettett, 
who,  with  untiring  zeal,  has  taken 
much  pride  as  well  as  given  much  la- 
bor in  drilling  a  Floral  Team,  "second 

to  none  in  the  state.'' 
Death  has  entered  our  chapter  room 

and  severed  two  of  the  ''links  in  our 
golden  chain."  Thus  twice  has  this 
order  been  called  upon  to  perform  our 
beautiful  funeral  ceremonies,  the 
floral  star  being  formed  at  the  graves 
of  Sisters  Alice  Oakshett  and  Johanna 
Crandall.  Two  have  gone  from  us  by 
demit  to  other  fields  of  labor,  making 
the  present  membership  forty-two, 
with  peace  and  harmony  prevailing. 
The  stated  time  of  meeting  is  the  sec- 
ond Friday  of  each  month.  The  offi- 
cers are.  Worthy  Matron  Margret 
Leach  ;  Worthy  Patron,  Rev.  C.  W. 
Ayling  ;  Associate  Matron,  Emma  Tay- 
lor ;  Secretary,  Nora  Goodman  ;  Treas- 
urer, Delia  Miller  ;  Conductress,  Anna 
E.  Buck  ;  Assistant  Conductress,  Ella 
Doty  ;  Warder,  Matilda  Pettett;  Guard, 
Mr.  Petersen ;  Adah,  Anna  Bovik ; 
Ruth,  Maggie  Palm  ;  Esther,  Rose  Mil- 
ler ;  Martha,  Estella  Baker ;  Electa, 
Lucy  Crandall;  Chaplain,  Nellie  Rom- 
berger.  A  Stak. 

ILLINI  CLUB,  NO.  950,  LYCEUM  LEAGUE 
OF   AMERICA. 

This  society  enjoys  the  aistinction  of 
being  the  latest  organization,  of  a  so- 
cial or  literary  character,  in  Dwight. 

The  idea  of  having  a  boys'  literary 
society,  modeled  after  those  in  our  col- 
leges and  academies,  originated  and  has 
long  been  a  pet  project  in  the  minds  of 
some  young  men  of  the  village,  and,  at 
the  beginning  of  the  present    school 


year,  these  boys,  with  the  help  of  the 
principal  of  the  Dwight  schools,  suc- 
ceeded in  bringing  together  seventeen 
young  men  who  organized  themselves 
into  a  literary  society,  their  purpose,  as 
declared  in  the  preamble  of  their  con- 
stitution, being  to  give  the  members  of 
the  order  a  thorough  drill  in  parlia- 
mentary procedure  and  the  art  of  pub- 
lic speaking,  and  to  create  and  encour- 
age among  themselves  an  interest  in  the 
principal  questions  of  the  day.  Later 
the  society  was  organized  into  a  local 
lodge  of  the  Lyceum  League  of  Amer- 
ica, of  which  the  Hon.  Theodore  Roose- 
velt is  the  national  president,  adopting 
as  their  distinguishing  title  the  old  In- 
dian name  for  lUiMois— Illini. 

The  Illini  has  met  with  nothing  but 
the  best  wishes  and  encouragement  of 
our  people,  the  Sons  of  Veterans  kindly 
allowing  them  the  use  of  their  hall  for 
a  month  free  of  charge.  In  return  the 
society  has  given  the  people  of  Dwight 
and  vicinity  a  course  of  five  lectures, 
which,  if  not  delivered  by  the  most  em- 
inent men  in  the  profession,  has  cer- 
tainly offered,  for  the  money  invested, 
extraordinarily  generous  returns. 
Whether  or  not  the  society  will  realize 
the  hopes  of  its  founders,  it  is  yet  too 
early  to  determine,  but  certain  it  is 
that,  interfering  with  no  other  occupa- 
tion of  its  members,  it  has  given  them 
something  to  occupy  their  spare  time, 
and  from  which  they  may  derive  both 
pleasure  and  profit.  The  ultimate  suc- 
cess of  the  project  means  a  step  for- 
ward in  the  practical  education  of 
America's  future  voters. 

Following  are  the  officers  ;  President, 
John  Goodspeed  ;  vice  president,  Chadz 
Bell ;  recording  secretary,  Charles  J. 
I*erry  :  corresponding  secretary,  Will 
J.  Leach;  treas.  Will  Geis  ;  marshal, 
Howe  Parker. 

All  visitors  are  welcome.  ^ 


HISTORY  OF  D WIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


109 


Y.   P.  S.  C.  E, 

The  Young  People's  Society  of  Chris- 
tian Endeavor  of  the  Congregational 
church,  of  Dwight,  was  organized  Feb- 
ruary 12, 1887.  The  late  Prof.  H.  D.  Fisk, 
was  the  first  president,  Rev.  Mr.  Wil- 
son, pastor.  The  Endeavor  society  has 
for  its  motto,  "For  Christ  and  the 
Church,'"  and  its  object,  to  help  young 
people  to  live  nearer  to  Christ,  to  assist 
the  pastor  of  the  church  in  his  work,  in 
every  way  possible  and  to  promote  the 
principles  of  good  citizenship.  Also 
seeks  to  cultivate  a  spirit  of  friendli- 
ness and  sociability  among  its  mem- 
bers, and  kindness  to  strangers. 

Our  society  now  has  forty  members. 
The  officers  are  elected  semiannually, 
in  January  and  June.  Those  for  the 
current  half  year  are  :  Pastor,  Rev.  E. 
F.  Wright ;  president,  Mrs.  J.  A.  Spen- 
cer ;  vice-president,  Mary  Nelson ; 
treasurer,  Mrs.  J.  L.  YanEman  ;  cor- 
resp-^-nding  secretary,  Bessie  Baker ; 
recording  secretary,  Alida   A.  Martin. 

We  welcome  all  to  our  meetings  at 
6:4,5  Sunday  evenings.  The  society  is 
now  organizing  a  good  citizenship  class. 
All  who  will,  who  are  interested  in  the 
welfare  of  their  country  and  in  devel- 
oping a  higher  degree  of  social  life,  are 
invited  to  join,  whether  they  are  mem- 
bers of  the  society  or  church  or  not, 

REBEKAIIS. 

Prairie  (^ueen  Lodge  Daughters  of 
Rebekahs,  Xo.  .370, 1.  O.  O.  F  ,  was  or- 
ganized in  Dwight,  HI.,  January  29. 
1895. 

The  officers  of  the  current  term  are  : 
P.  N.  G.,  Henry  Fox;  N.  G.,  Miss  Nora 
Goodman  ;Y.  G.,  Miss  M.F.  Pettett;  Sec- 
retary, Mrs.  F.  F.  Starrett :  Treasurer, 
Mrs.  N.  A.  Ketcham;  Deputy  for  G.  M. 
Mrs.  H.  A. Fox;  W.,Miss  M.  E.  Reader; 
C,  Miss  N.  C.  Taj  lor;  Chaplain,  John 
Geis  :  R.  S.  N.  G.,   John  Pettett ;  L.  S. 


N.  G.,  Mrs.  E.  Chamberlin  ;  R.S.V.  G.' 
Miss  P.  E.  Fox  ;  L.  S.  V.  G..  Miss  E. 
Baker  ;  O.  G.,  J.  K.  Buff  ham  ;  1.  G.,  W. 
J.  Taylor. 

The  object  of  the  Rebekah  Degree 
Lodge  is,  to  assist  the  Odd  Fellows  in 
preparing  and  maintaining  homes  for 
their  widows  and  orphans,  taking  care 
of  the  sick  and  to  promote  the  fra- 
ternal and  social  feelings  among  its 
members. 

This  degree  was  presented  to  the 
Sovereign  Grand  Lodge  of  the  United 
States  by  Schuyler  Colfax  and  adopted 
in  September,  1851. 

It  has  long  been  considered  among 
men  that  by  far  the  best  part  of  our 
physically  developed  humanity,  are  the 
women,  and  it  is  no  wonder  that  a  fra- 
ternity like  Odd  Fellowship,  recogniz- 
ing women's  great  mission,  and  the 
aptness  of  the  association  to  her  nature, 
should  pro  v^ide  a  degree  especially  for 
her. 

The  objects,  aims,  principles  and 
teachings  of  the  order  are  such  that, 
when  fully  understood,  they  will  cap- 
tivate woman.  Lodges  of  Odd  Fellows 
are  formed,  and  in  them  men  are 
banded  together  to  do  what  it  is  nat- 
ural for  women  to  do.  The  leading 
principles  of  the  order  are  but  the  in- 
ate  principles  of  women's  nature. 

The  acknowledged  motto  of  the  or- 
der of  Odd  Fellows  is  "Friendship 
Love  and  Truth."  The  order  teaches 
that  no  one  has  a  right  to  live  simply 
for  himself.  No  one  has  a  right  to  en- 
joy the  blessings  of  the  common  Father 
alone.  Selfishness,  the  great  sin  of  our 
humanity,  should  be  avoided,  and  be- 
nevolence, the  great  principle  of  the 
fraternity,  should  be  practiced. 

The  great  corner-stone  of  Odd  Fel- 
lowship is  fraternity,  a  true  fraternity 
in  the  family  of  man.  On  this  corner- 
stone, as  a  solid  basis,  the  whole  super- 


no 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLI2sOIS. 


structure  securely  rests,  and  will  con- 
tinue to  rest  until  time  shall  be  no 
more.  The  maxim  of  Odd  Fellowship, 
"We  visit  the  sick,  relieve  the  dis- 
tressed, bury  the  dead  and  educate  the 
orphan,'  has  touched  the  feelings  and 
stirred  up  the  tender  hearts  of  women  ; 
and  the  work  of  the  order  has  exhib- 
ited to  our  American  women  and  to 
the  women  of  the  world,  what  our  or- 
der is  accomplishing. 

I  cannot  tell  why  the  degree  was 
called  llebekah,  except  it  was  because 
of  the  circumstance  recorded  of  Re- 
bekah,  so  much  like  the  practical  work- 
ings of  Odd  Fellowship. 

EMBLEMS   OF   THE  DEGREE. 

As  life  is  passing,  we  are  taught  by 
the  emblem  of  the  "Beehive"  indus- 
triously to  do  the  work  of  life,  and  for 
the  purpose  of  helping  each  other  we 
are  banded  together  in  our  lodges. 

The  emblem  of  the  "Moon  and  Stars" 
is  intended  to  represent  good  life  which 
does  not  come  to  anyone  as  a  matter  of 
course,  but  is  the  result  of  divine  favor 
attending  our  earnest  efforts  to  do 
good. 

The  emblem  of  the  "Dove"  tells  us 
that  we,  too,  may  have  the  visits  of 
that  comforting  messenger  typified  by 
Noah's  dove.  We  may  learn  in  its 
blessed  inlluence  on  our  hearts  that  the 
waters  of  Jehovah's  wrath  are  as- 
suaged, and  that  in  the  salvation  pro- 
vided, so  beautifully  typified  by  the 
ark,  the  offender  may  be  reconciled  to 
the  offended.  A  Rebekaii. 


woman's  auxiliary  keeley  league. 

The  Woman's  Auxiliary  Keeley 
League,  No.  1,  of  Dwight,  was  first  or- 
ganized in  February,  18'.»'2,  by  a  few 
earnest  women  who  were  at  that  time 
taking  treatment.  It  was  then  called 
the  B.  C.  of  Gold  Club  of  Dwight.  Only 


ladies  who  had,  or  were  taking  the 
treatment,  were  eligible  to  member- 
ship. Their  object  was  to  bmd  to- 
gether in  one  fraternal  bond  all  the 
women  who  had  taken  the  Keeley  cure, 
and  assist  worthy  applicants  who  were 
unable  to  do  so.  Their  motto  was 
"Charity,"  and  the  first  money  they  ex- 
pended was  to  pay  for  a  berth  in  a 
sleeping  car  for  a  patient  who  was  re- 
turning home  and  was  unable  to  pro- 
cure it  herself. 

The  Ladies  B.  C.  of  G.  Club,  of 
Dwight,  was  the  first  organization  of 
women  in  the  Keeley  work.  In  the 
formation  of  the  Woman's  Auxiliary 
Keeley  League,  the  club  was  merged 
into  it,  but  retained  the  original  Xo.  1, 
three  of  its  workers  becoming  charter 
members  in  the  Auxiliary.  Of  the 
three  one  is  dead,  one  withdrawn  to 
join  elsewhere,  and  one  is  still  an  hon- 
ored member.  The  first  elected  officers 
were  :  President,  Mrs.  Kate  Shaffer ; 
vice-president,  Mrs.  Barber;  secretary, 
Mrs.  Carrie  Lounsberry. 

In  November,  1892,  the  present  Aux- 
iliary was  organized  by  Mrs.  Ida  B. 
Cole.  Mrs.  Dr.  Blaine  was  elected  pres- 
ident and  Mrs.  Dr.  Barr.  secretary. 

The  object  of  the  W.  A.  K.  L.  is  to 
further  the  cause  of  temperance,  and 
especially  to  aid  in  curing  the  inebriate 
of  the  disease  of  alcoholism  and  others 
in  the  use  of  opium  and  other  drugs. 
To  teach  the  youthful  of  the  land  to 
avoid  the  drink  and  drug  addictions, 
and  by  all  means  possible,  with  the 
blessing  of  God,  promote  the  purity  and 
good  order  of  society. 

The  motto  is  "Not  willing  that  any 
should  perish." 

Since  the  organization  in  November, 
18'.>2,  there  has  been  collected  from  dif- 
ferent sources  SfiSo.DO.  There  is  at 
present  .i?1819  remaining  in  the  treas- 
ury.   The  balance  has  been  expended 


Heather   Lad. 

J.  R.  Oughton's  $6000  Gordon  Setter,  took  first  in  every   bench 
show  in  the  United  States  in  1893-94. 


IlISTOUY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


HI 


for  curing  patients  and  defraying  the 
necessary  expenses  of  running  the  Aux- 
iliary. >[eetings  have  been  held  every 
■week  until  the  present  time.  lleguJar 
meetings  the  2d  and  4th  Tuesdays  in 
every  mouth  in  Odd  Fellows'  hall. 

Every  one  is  welcome. 

Mrs.  Dr.  Barr,  who  has  been  an  un- 
tiring worker  since  the  Auxiliary  was 
first  organized,  is  the  president. 

avoian's  kelief  corps. 

One  of  our  eflicient  philanthropic  or- 
ganizations is  the  Woman's  Ilelief 
Corps,  auxiliary  to  the  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic.  Its  especial  object  is 
to  aid  and  assist  the  members  of  this 
organization,  to  cherish  and  emulate 
the  deeds  of  the  brave  defenders  of  our 
nation,  and  perpetuating  the  memory 
of  their  heroic  dead.  To  maintain  true 
allegiance  to  the  United  States,  incul- 
cate lessons  of  patriotism  and  love  of 
country  among  our  children,  and  in  the 
communities  in  which  we  live,  and  en- 
courage the  spread  of  universal  liberty 
Hud  equal  rights  to  all.  This  is  a  plat- 
form broad  enough,  not  only  for  the 
mothers,  wives,  daughters  and  sisters 
of  the  Veterans,  but  for  all  loyal  women 
who  would  perpetuate  the  principles 
for  which  the  association  stands 
pledged. 

D wight  Woman's  Relief  Corps  was 
organized  in  1889  with  Mrs.  Hattie  A. 
Fox  as  president.  Their  numbers  were 
few  but  their  zeal  was  always  alive  and 
much  good  has  been  done  in  a  quiet 
.way,  not  only  in  our  own  community, 
but  aid  has  been  given  to  the  various 
Soldiers'  Homes  throughout  the  state. 
The  contingent  expenses  are  met  out  of 
the  general  fund,  the  "relief  fund"  be- 
ing established  for  the  benelit  of  the 
Veterans.  The  "line  of  blue,"  each 
year  growing   shorter,    has    tenderest 


sympathy    as   well  as  aid  in  the  Wo- 
man's Relief  Corps. 

The  olllcers  for  the  ensuing  year  are  : 
President,  Mrs.  Kate  A.  Dustin  ;  vice- 
presidents,  Mrs.  Ella  Wheatley  and 
Mrs.  E.  L.  Huey  ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Lucie 
Lewis  ;  chaplain,  Mrs.  Lizzie  Ayling; 
conductor,  Miss  Emma  Buffham ; 
guard,  Miss  Myrtle  Wheatley. 


YOUNG    WOMAN'S  CHRISTIAN  TEMPER- 
ANCE UNION, 

This  branch  of  the  Y's,  as  they  are 
commonly  called,  was  organized  May 
7,  1887,  composed  of  the  young  ladies 
of  Dwight,  and  has  ever  been  a  flour- 
ishing, prosperous  society.  The  mis- 
sion of  this  organization  is  to  help  the 
needy,  visit  the  sick  and  aged,  cheer- 
ing them  with  fruit  and  flowers,  send- 
ing money  to  hospitals,  etc.  The  pres- 
ent oflicers  are  :  President,  Miss  Kittle 
Martin  ,  first  vice-president,  Miss  Le- 
narFifield  ;  second  vice-president.  Miss 
Aline  Ohenowith  ;  recording  secretary. 
Miss  Nellie  Hade  :  corresponding  sec- 
retary. Miss  Mae  Morgan  :  treasurer, 
Miss  Mary  Fifleld ;  superintendent 
flower  mission,  Miss  Lena  Fifleld  ;  su- 
perinrendent  of  literature,  Miss  Ella 
Fenn. 


EP WORTH  LEAGUE. 

The  Epworth  League  is  an  organiza- 
tion of  the  young  people  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church.  Its  object  is  to 
promote  intelligent  and  vital  piety  in 
the  young  members  and  friends  of  the 
church  ;  to  aid  them  in  the  attainment 
of  purity  of  heart  and  constant  growth 
in  grace  and  to  train  them  in  works  of 
mercy  and  help. 

Its  motto  is,  "Look  up,  Lift  up."  The 
Dwight  Chapter  of  the  Epworth  League 
was  organized  about  five  years  ago,  and 
now  has  a  membership  of  seventy-six 
actiye,  twenty-three  associate  and  eight 


112 


HISTORY  OF  DAVIGUT,  ILLI^^OIS. 


honorary  members.    The  present  presi- 
dent is  Mr.  D.  B.  Stevens. 

The  work  of  the  League  is  carried  out 
through  six  departments:  1.  Depirt- 
ment  of  Spirituil  Work,  Supeniiteiient 
Mrs.  D.  B.  Stevens.  '*.  Mercy  aud  ilelp, 
Saperinteudent,  Miss  Xellie  McWil- 
liams.  3.  Literary  \Vork,Superiiite'id- 
ent,  Miss  Louise  Me  Willi  ims.  4.  So- 
cial Work,  Superiulendeut  Mrs.  Man- 
ning Saaith,  5.  Correspon  lence.  Miss 
Lilly  Conrad.  6.  Finaiice,  Mr.  OrviUe 
Browii.  Devotional  rasetiugs  are  held 
each  Sabbath  evening  bffoe  the  regu- 
lar preaching  services.  The  regular 
business  meetings  are  held  the  first 
Tuesday  evening  of  each  month  and  at 
the  close  of  each  a  literary  progra  n  or 
social  is  given.  All  are  most  cordially 
invited  to  attend  the  different  mee  ings. 


KNIGHTS   OF   PYTHIAS. 

Hebron  Lodge,  No.  175,  K.  P.,  was 
instituted  January  18,  1888,  with 
twenty-five  charter  members,  as  follows: 
C.  H.  Barr,  Eugene  Flagler,  John  Geis, 
John  Leach,  George  L.  Kern,  Adam 
Dernbach,  L.  D.  I'lummer,  G.  X.  Flag- 
ler, James  S.  Goodman,  John  Matzen, 
Frank  Reeb,  B.  O.  Goodman,  W.  1\ 
Prime,  G.  B.  Goodman,  A.  W.  Kern,  T. 
J.  Graham,  J.  T.  Buck.  Henry  Groll,  O. 
C.  Jensen,  I.  L.  Perry,  Wm.  C.  Bar- 
tholic,  Dwight  P.  Mills,  John  Pettett. 
The  first  Chancellor  Commander  elected 
was  Eugene  Flagler. 

The  present  officers  are  as  follows : 
C.  C,  Wm.  T.  Prime  ;  V.  C,  A.  J.  Dief- 
enbach  :  Prelate,  P'rank  Reeb  ;  M.  of 
F.,  Simon  P.  Klitz ;  M.  of  E.,  John 
Leach  ;  K.  of  R.  and  S.,  Geo.  L.  Kern  ; 
M.  of  A.,  Chris.  Skaifgard  ;  1.  G.,  L.  II. 
Martin  ;  O.  G.,  Jack  Hudson  ;  M.  of 
W.,  S.  Jt»hns()n. 

The  lodge  reached  at  one  time  a  mem- 
bership of  eighty-seven,  but  owing  to 
one  death  and  several  moving  away  we 


have  a  membership  at  present  of  sixty- 
one.  The  lodge  has  paid  out  a  large 
amount  for  relief  and  sick  benefits,  as 
that  is  one  of  the  grand  principles  of 
the  order.  The  meeting  nights  are  i 
every  Wednesday  evening  at  8  o'clock,  1 
above  treatment  hall,  and  they  extend 
fraternal  greeting  to  visiting  brothers. 


INDEPENDENT     ORDER     MUTUAL     AID. 

This  mutual  insurance  organization 
had  its  birth  in  Dwight,  March  17,  1879, 
when  about  thirteen  among  our  best 
citizens  got  together  and  decided  to  do 
something  to  protect  their  families  after 
demise.  Deputy  Grand  President  W. 
A.  Halstead  was  present  and  installed 
the  lodge,  and  the  following  officers 
were  elected :  C.  D.  Chalfant,  presi- 
dent ;  A .  M.  de  Clercq,  vice-president  ; 
R  F.  Mcllduff,  recording  and  financial 
secretary  ;  Ed.  M.  Merrill,  treasurer.  B. 
A.  Buck  was  elected  the  first  repre- 
sentative to  the  grand  lodge,  and  was 
also  elected  the  last  one  in  1894.  We 
understand  there  has  only  been  one 
death  loss  in  the  Dwight  lodge,  that  of 
Mr.  de  Clercq.  Several  original  mem- 
bers have  died,  but  have  let  their  pay- 
ments lapse  and  lost  then-  insurance. 

The  officers  elected  at  a  recent  meet- 
ing in  1894  are  as  follows  :  W.  G.  Dus- 
tin,  president ;  L.  Reeder,  vice-presi- 
dent ;  George  8.  Baker,  recording  and 
financial  secretary  ;  B.  A.  Buck,  treas- 
urer. The  lodge  now  has  a  member- 
ship of  thirty.  J| 

DWaaiT   GUN    C5LU15. 

This  organization  came  into  existence 
August  Ifi,  1894,  and  has  fiourishedever 
since.  The  first  meeting  was  held  as 
above  in  the  town  house,  S.  T  K.  Prime 
in  the  chair,  and  C.  V.  Bower,  secretary. 
The  objects  of  the  club  are  principally  to 
promote  field  sports  and  protect  game 


TII6T0RY  OF  DWKJllT,  ILLINOIS. 


113 


birds,  which  is  very  creditable,    indeed. 

The  officers  elected,  which  are  still 
holding  their  positions,  are :  J.  K. 
(.)ughton,  president ;  II.  F.  Adams,  vice- 
president  ;  C.  \'.  Bower,  secretary  and 
treasurer  ;  L.  S.  Hause,  captain  ;  J.  K. 
Oughton,  C.  V.  Bower,  L.  S.  Ilause, 
Geo.  Tate  and  liobt.  Orr,  trustees. 

The  first  shoot  was  held  October  18. 
November  21)  there  was  a  match  shoot 
between  Henry  Atkinson  and  Ame  Orr, 
the  latter  winning.  The  first  annual 
tournament  was  held  iJecember  27  and 
28.  The  weather  was  very  bad  and  the 
outside  attendance  small,  but  the  club 
cleared  about  $25. 

In  November  a  special  meeting  was 
held  and  President  J.  R.  Oughton 
kindly  oft'ered  to  erect  a  club  house  and 
rent  it  to  the  club  for  .f  10  a  year,  which 
was  accepted. 

There  has  been  a  constant  improve- 
ment in  shooting  among  the  members. 

There  is  a  membership  of  thirty  the 
1st  of  .January,  1895.  The  shoots  are 
held  on  the  Oughton  farm,  just  south  of 
town. 


MASONIC. 

The  Masonic  fraternity  was  organ- 
ized in  D wight  March  1,  18t)2,  when 
Livingston  Lodge,  U.  D.,  was  formed, 
with  the  following otticers,  viz.  :  E.  N. 
Jencks,  W.  M.  ;  C.S.  Newell,  secretary; 
AV.  L.  Gross,  senior  warden.  October 
8, 1862,  the  lodge  received  a  charter,  is- 
sued by  F.  M.  Blair,  grand  master  of 
Masons  in  Illinois,  and  countersigned  by 
II.  G.  lleynolds,  grand  secretary.  The 
lodge  has  a  large  and  increasing  mem- 
bership of  excellent  citizens,  and  is  one 
of  the  solid  orders  of  our  city.  The 
following  otticers  were  elected  for  1895  : 
W,  M.,  Andrew  Hansen  ;  S.  W.,  A.  Bo- 
vik  ;  .1.  W.,  G.  Z.  Flagler  ;  secretary, 
Frank  Ford  ;  treasurer,  ,Ioe  Miller. 


MODERN  WOODMEN  OF  AMERICA. 

The  above  fraternal  insurance  order 
was  organized  in  Dwight  in  September, 
1892,  in  Keeley  hall,  by  Deputy  Head 
Counsel  Griggs.  There  were  thirty- 
two  charter  members.  The  first  otiicers 
elected  were  W.  G.  Dustin,  V.  C.  ;  A. 
Bovik,  A. ;  ,Jas.  Ubellar,  B. ;  W.  H. 
Doty,  clerk  ;  A.  K.  Zimmerman,  W.;  J. 
Burns,  S.  The  order  has  flourished  and 
new  members  have  joined  right  along, 
until  the  membership  early  in  1895 
reaches  nearly  100.  Deputy  Head  Coun- 
sel Martin,  of  Aurora,  did  excellent 
work  at  this  time.  The  officers  at  pres- 
ent 1895— are  John  Leach,  V.  C.  ;  Wm. 
Thornton,  A.  ;  .[.  France,  B.  ;  W.  H. 
Doty,  clerk  ;  A.  G.  Fisk,  escort ;  M.  J. 
Bagnell,  watchman  ;  I.  N.  Peterson, 
sentry ;  W.  G.  Dustin,  A.  Bovik) 
Frank  Reeb,  managers. 


DANSKE   BRODERSAMFUND,   FREDEN 
LOGE,  NO.  34 

The  above  lodge  was  instituted  in 
Dwight,  October  12,  1889.  They  meet  in 
Sons  of  Veteran  hall,  and  their  organi" 
zation  is  growing  and  is  in  excellent 
condition.  The  first  otticers  elected 
were  as  follovvs:  E.  P.,  J.  Jacobsen  ; 
P.,  H.  C.  Hansen  ;  V.  P.,  J.  J.  Smith  ; 
S.,  L.  P.  Klitz;  T.,  Jens  Schott ;  G., 
Chris.  Skafgaard;  I.  G.,  F.  H.  Frand- 
sen  ;  O.  G.,  P.  H.  Gantzel.  The  pres- 
ent officers  are  as  follows  :  E.  P.,  J.  E. 
Petersen  ;  P.,  J.  P.  Jensen  ;  V.  P.,  P. 
Johansen ;  R,  S.,  N.  T.  Nommensen  ; 
F.  S.,  O.  C.  Jensen  ;  T.  S.  P.  Klitz  ;  G., 
N.  K.  Nelson  ;  I.  G.,  P.  Olsen  ;  O.  G., 
J .  Jacobsen  ;  trustees,  J.  P.  Hansen,  F. 
Frandsen,  Ed.  Smith. 


PACIFIC   ENCAMPMENT,  NO.  120. 

The  warrant  for  the  charter  of  the 
above  organization  was  issued  on  the 
8th  day  of  October,  1880,  by  AValter  E. 
Carlin,  grand  patriarch  of  the  jurisdic- 


114 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLl^^OIS. 


tion  of  Grand  Encampment  of  Illinois, 
attested  by  J.  C.  Smith,  grand  scribe. 

Pacific  Encampment  was  instituted 
October  It),  1880,  by  J,  C.  Smith,  grand 
scribe,  assisted  by  Vermillion  Encamp- 
ment, No.  54,  of  Pontiac.  The  follow- 
ing are  the  charter  members,  to-wit  : 
H.  Fox,  J.  J.  Gore,  A.  McKay,  Benj. 
Waite,  by  cards.  By  initiation,  to-wit : 
W.  H.  Ketcham,  Sr.,  J.  C.  Lewis,  Mar- 
tin "NVilks,  Moses  Wilkison,  Thomas 
Liddicott,  Chas.  Stevens,  M.  J.  Cullen, 
John  Leach,  DeWitt  Scvitt,  W.  H.  Con- 
rad. 

The  otficers  elected  were  J.  J.  Gore, 
C.  P. ;  A.  McKay,  H.  P. ;  DeWitt  Scutt, 
S.  W.  ;  J.  C.  Lewis,  scribe  ;  W.  H. 
Ketcham,  Sr.,  treasurer  ;  Thos.  Liddi- 
cott, J.  W. ;  H,  Fox,  grand  representa- 
tive. 

The  officers  elected  for  1895  for  Pa- 
cific Encampment,  No.  126,  I.  O.  O.F., 
are  as  follows  :  C,  P.,  A.  Comer;  H. 
P.,  S.  A.  Goodman  ;  S.  W.,  G.  L.  Tay- 
lor ;  scribe,  E.  A.  Radcliff ;  treasurer, 
W.  H.  Conrad  ;  J.  ^\.,  Geo.  Peterson  ; 
sentinel,  Geo.  Donigan. 

Trustees— J.  A.  Pettett,  S.  A.  Good- 
man, M.  Wilkison,  M.  C.  Starrett,  Geo. 
Robinson. 

Moses  Wilkison,  representative  to 
Grand'Encampment  of  Illinois. 


ODD   FELLOWS. 

Dwight  Lodge,  No.  513,  I.  O.  O.  F. 
was  instituted  in  Dwight  by  Jas.  S. 
Hunter,  of  Odell,  D.  G.  M.,  May  22, 
1873,  and  is  probably  the  richest  and 
strongest  society  in  Dwight.  The  first 
Noble  Grand  was  C.  C.  Gilbert,  and  M. 
W.  Tambling,  secretary.  In  October 
of  the  same  year  a  charter  was  issued 
by  G.  M.  Bross,  grand  master,  to  the 
following  charter  members :  C.  C. 
(Albert,  W.  S.  Sims,  M.  W.  Tambling, 
John  L.  Clark,  Thomas  Weldon,  Hugh 
Stevens  and  K.  P.  l^tley.    The  society 


afterwards  purchased  land  and  erected 
the  Dwight  o'pera  hou.se,  now  used  for 
a  treatment  hall  by  the  Leslie  E.  Keeley 
Co.  They  sold  the  property  during  the 
boom  for  a  good  price,  and  have  the 
money  well  invested.  The  present  of- 
ficers are  as  follows  :  Deputy  Grand 
Master,  G.  L.  Taylor  ;  Representative 
Grand  Lodge,  J.  Stewart ;  Past  Grand, 
A.  Comer;  N.  G.,  E.  A.  Radcliff ;  V. 
G.,  Wm.  J.  Taylor  ;  secretary,  J.  Knud- 
sen  ;  treasurer,  Chas.  Waters  ;  R.  S.  N. 
G.,  J.  Geis  ;  L.  S.  N.  G.,  S.  A.  Good- 
man ;  warden,  Geo.  Donigan  ;  conduc- 
tor, J.  W.  Koehler  ;  R.  S.  S.,  Frank  N. 
Smith  ;  L.  S.  S.,  Geo.  Peterson  ;  R.  S. 
V.  G  ,  Jos.  K.  Bufliham  ;  L.  S.  V.  G., 
James  Seabert. 


ANCIENT   ORDER   OF   HIBERNIANS. 

The  above  organization  was  organ- 
ized February  4,  1894.  This  order  has 
fifty  members  and  meets  the  second 
Sunday  of  every  month.  The  officers 
are  as  follows  :  President,  John  Den- 
nehe;  vice-president,  James  West ;  sec- 
retary, Thos.  Dennehe  ;  recording  sec- 
retary, Lawrence  Fay  ;  financial  secre- 
tary, William  West ;  sergeant  at  arms, 
David  Coughlin  ;  door  keeper,  Daniel 
Ilurlay. 


G.  A.  R.,  W.  R.  C.  AND  S.  OF  V. 

The  history  of  these  organizations 
Avill  be  found  in  another  part  of  this 
book. 


A.  P.  A. 

The  above  lodge  was  organized  in 
Dwight  in  1894,  and  is  said  to  have  a 
large  membership. 


KEELEY   LEAGUE. 

The  organization  of  the  Keeley 
League  and  its  advancement  is  noted 
at  length  through  the  latter  years  of  this 
history. 


Miss  Sarah  Snyder. 

(First  Teact]er  in  Divigtit, 


Prof.  J.  H.  Meneely. 

(Freserjt  Priqcipal  of  Duuiqljt  Schools  ) 


Hon.  0.  W.  Pollard. 


John  Leach. 


insTOIIY  OF  DWICIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


iirj 


CHAPTER  Xll. 

DWIGHT   PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


"While  there  has  been  much  said  in 
this  little  work  regarding  our  schools, 
the  improvements  made  and  important 
changes,  the  history  would  be  unfin- 
ished without  giving  the  best  record 
obtainable  of  the  teachers  and  members 
of  the  school  board  from  early  times. 
It  is  due  the  members  of  the  board  and 
the  teachers  that  to  say  our  schools 
stand  second  to  none  of  the  size  of  the 
place  in  the  state.  There  is  one  thing 
that  even  those  who  were  instrumental 
in  bringing  about,  now  condemn,  and 
that  is  having  two  schools.  The  mis- 
take was  made  in  purchasing  two  build- 
ing sites  instead  of  one  central  location 
where  a  building  could  have  eventually 
been  erected  that  would  be  a  credit  to 
the  city. 

By  inquiry  and  through  the  kindness 
of  1).  McWilliams,  E.  T.  Miller  and 
others,  we  have  been  enabled  to  get  to- 
gether considerable  information  regard- 
ing our  schools,  which  will  certainly  in- 
terest all  our  citizens. 

The  lirst  school  liouse  was  built  in  the 
fall  of  1855  at  a  cost  of  .^275  and  served 
three  years  as  a  school  house,  church 
and  public  hall.  It  was  lC)x2i  and  stood 
about  tifteen  rods  east  of  the  residence 
of  D.  McWilliams  and  is  now  the  L  of 
Col.  .T.  IJ.  Parsons  residence  on  Mazon 
avenue. 

The  school  directors  were  D.  McWil- 


liams, .leremiiah    Travis    and    Xelson 
Cornell. 

Sarah  Snyder  was  the  first  teacher, 
followed  by  Clara  Colister  and  Amerila 
Crowel.  The  former  is,  January  1, 
1S*J5,  a  resident  of  Streator  and  in  ex- 
cellent health.  Her  portrait  is  presented 
in  this  work  and  we  feel  sure  will  be  of 
much  interest  to  all  who  are  acquainted 
with  the  lady. 

The  town  grew  rapidly,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1857  it  was  found  necessary  to 
build  a  larger  school  house.  All  agreed 
that  the  house  must  be  built,  but  the 
location  cost  many  heated  discussions. 
At  the  election  the  "East  Side"  party 
gained  the  day  by  three  votes~-104  or 
105  votes  being  cast.  A  person  going 
from  the  main  part  of  town  to  the  site 
of  the  new  house  was  obliged  to  wade 
through  slough  grass  as  high  as  a  man's 
head.  In  18(54  an  addition  to  the  east 
side  building  was  made.  It  was  2(5x28 
and  cost  nearly  !?1,500.  The  play 
ground  in  which  this  building  stands  is 
the  best  in  the  county.  In  1870  the  two- 
story  brick  on  the  west  side  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  about  .'?5,0(X).  Notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  it  seats  150  pu- 
I)ils,  in  1880  the  board  of  directors  was 
obliged  to  rent  a  room  in  the  M.  E. 
church  which  served  as  a  school  room 
for  one  primary  grade  up  to  the  fall  of 
188(i,  when   a   larger  and  more  commo- 


lie. 


IIISTUUY  OF  DWJGIIT,  JLL1N.UIS. 


dious,  better  lighted  room  was  secured 
in  the  Presbyterian  church.  A  bell 
weighing  304  pounds  and  costing  .'i?r22  20 
was  purchased  for  the  east  side  building 
in  18t)l . 

The  following  named  men  have  filled 
the  position  as  principal  of  the  Dwight 
schools  : 

SALARY 
PER  MO. 

1857-1858— Edwin  Lathrop,  2  yr  .  ..$  40 

1858  — L.    W.   P.    \Mlmot  and 

wife,  3  mo — 

1859  — S.  G.  (xlenn,  5  mo BO 

18(»0--18P)1"-D.  S.  Eyer,  1  yr.  4  mo. . .  45 

18t)l-18»J3— O.  F.  Pearre,  2  yr 35 

18()3-18()5— L.  W.  P.  AVilmot,  2  yr. .  75 
18(35-181)8— W.  II.  Gurney,  3  yr,  $:;0, 

$(55  and  85 

18(58-1870— B.  M.  Moore,  2  yr 100 

1870-1871— L.  F.  Walker,  1  yr 100 

1871-1872— C.  J.  Gruey,  1  yr 80 

1872-1874— W.  S.  Wilson,  2  yr 100 

1874-1878— C.  F.  Biehl,  4  yr.,  $100, 

$120,  $120  and 95 

1878-1883— Jesse  Hubbard,  5  yr. . . .  — 

1883-1890— H.  D.  Fisk,  7   yr — 

1891-1892— C.  E.  Schlabach,  1  yr . . . .  — 

1892-1894— W.  T.  Wilson,  2  yr — 

1894-1895— J.   II.  Meneely,   present 

teacher,  Jan.  1,  1895 — 

Edwin  Lathrop,  after  vvards  super- 
visor of  Ptound  Grove  township,  was 
the  tirst  male  teacher  employed  in  the 
schools  of  the  town.  He  was  informed 
while  attending  an  institute  in  Pontiac 
that  his  salary  ($40  per  month)  was  the 
highest  received  by  any  teacher  in  the 
county . 

S.  G.  Glenn  received  $(50  })er  month, 
but  had  to  pay  an  assistant  who  heard 
recitations  in  what  is  now  the  cloak 
room  of  the  east  side  primary.* 

Mr.  Glenn  has  since  been  president  of 
a  Florida  railroad,  and  afterwai-ds  a 
prominent  man  in  one  of  the  leading 
insurance  companies.  ().  S.  M'escott, 
principal  of  the  North  Division  Higii 
School  in  Chicago,  was  Mr.  Glenn's  as- 
sistant, receiving  a  sahiry  of  $19  per 
month.  During  the  summer  Mr.  Wes-. 
cott  worked  at  Ihc  carpenter  trade  and 


never  failed  to  attend  Sunday  School  on 
the  Sabbath.  The  teacher  of  his  class 
happened  to  be  the  minister,  and  as 
ministers  are  supposed  to  know  more 
or  less  about  Greek,  what  more  natural 
than  that  the  teacher  quote  a  little 
Greek  occasionally  for  the  benefit  of  his 
class?  One  unlucky  Sabbath  the  min- 
ister, in  order  to  prove  a  point  under 
discussion,  a  quotation  as  he  said,  from 
the  Greek  Testament,  whereupon  to  his 
great  disgust,  Mr.  Wescott  drew  from 
his  pocket  a  Greek  Testament  and  pro- 
ceeded to  read.  The  minister  was 
never  known  to  quote  Greek  again 
while  he  remained  in  the  place. 

O.  F.  Pearre  is  still  spoken  of  as  an 
excellent  teacher,  and  he  undoubtedly 
did  good  woi'k.  He  was  re-employed 
at  the  end  of  his  second  year  but  re- 
signed to  accept  the  otlice  of  county 
superintendent,  to  which  he  had  been 
elected.  Mr.  Pearre  is  a  well  known 
lawyer  of  Pontiac  and  has  gained  no. 
little  local  fame  as  a  poet 

W.  II.  Gurney  is  a  brotlier-in-!aw  of 
Mr.  Pearre's,  marrying  Miss  Alden.  The 
lady  of  his  choice  was  one  of  his  teacli- 
ers,  but  she  gave  up  school  work  after 
she  was  married.  During  Mr  Gurney's 
reign  the  anti-declamation  disease 
broke  out  with  all  the  virulence  of  mod- 
ern times. 

Several  of  the  boys,  who  are  now 
jtrominent  business  men  of  the  town, 
tried  to  throw  the  principal  over  the 
bakister  simply  because  he  sought  to 
persuade  them  that  declamations  and 
essays  were  a  part  of  their  school  work. 

C.  F.  Diehl  continued  in  school  work 
and  for  two  or  tluee  years  was  the  prin- 
cij)al  of  the  Abingdon  |)ublic  schools  in 
this  state.  He  was  also  i)rincii)al  of  tlie 
Ashton  schools  in  Lee  county. 

Jesse  Hubbard,  who  carries  oif  tlie 
])rize  for  the  greatest  number  of  years  as 
l)rinci|ial  at  tluit  lime,  was  the  man  who 


IIISTOllY  OF  DWICllT,  ILLIXOI; 


ir 


jilaced  the  I) wight  schools  on  a  safe  and 
sure  footing.  During  his  administra- 
tion the  school  was  graded,  an  excellent 
course  of  study  adopted,  teachers  stim- 
vUated  to  more  thorough  work,  a  library 
was  secured  and  last,  but  not  least,  the 
boys  and  girls  found  that  the  teachers 
must  be  obeyed.  liisintluence  was  felt 
outside  of  scliool,  and  after  a  year  or 
two,  shade  trees  and  picnet  fences  nour- 
ished in  the  neighborhood  of  the  school 
buildings  as  they  never  had  done  before. 
Mr.  Hubbard  was  afterwards  superin- 
tendent of  the  Pontiac  public  schools. 

Kobert  8.  Mclldufi',  one  of  the  leading 
lawyers  in  the  county,  and  ex-states  at 
torney,  served  as  principal  two  or  three 
different  times,  when  sickness  or  a  wed- 
ding kept  the  regular  principal  away. 

Prof.  II.  D.  Fisk  maintained  the  dig- 
nity of  the  Dwight  schools  and  was  be- 
loved by  his  pupils.  His  health  failed, 
however,  and  during  the  last  months  of 
his  principalship  he  was  unable  l,o  at- 
tend to  his  duties,  although  his  last 
thouglits  were  of  the  school,  and  only  a 
few  hours  before  his  death  he  requested 
to  be  taken  to  the  school  His  death  is 
spoken  of  in  the  history  proper.  Mrs. 
II.  1).  Fisk  is  a  teacher  in  the  schools 
January  1,  iSUo.  Prof.  Fisk  was  prin- 
cipal longer  than  any  other  person. 

Prof.  V.  E.  Schlaboch,  who  succeeded 
Prof.  Fisk,  only  remained  one  year.  He 
afterwards  moved  to  Iowa  and  was 
elected  county  superintendent  of  schools 
which  position  he  held  January  1,  1895, 

Prof.  W.  T.  Wilson  succeeded  Prof. 
Schlabach  and  remained  two  years.  lie 
is  at  present,  1895,  we  understand,  at- 
tending s  -hool  .in  Chicago.  It  is  the 
opinion  of  all  that  Mr.  Wilson  has  a 
bright  future  befoi-e  him. 

Prof.  J.  II.  Meneely  is  the  present 
princijial.  January  1,  1895,  is  a  splendid 
instructor,  a  public-spirited  citizen.  He 
holds    a    i)erpetual    certificate  and  is  a 


constant  student  himself  and  up-to- 
date  on  all  modern  ideas  in  teaching. 
He  is  ambitious  and  will  some  time,  we 
expect,  occui)y  a  very  high  position 
among  the  advanced  educators  of  the 
country.  He  is  a  young  man  and  cer- 
tainly has  a  bright  future. 

Names  of  those  who  have  served  as 
teachers  since  185('),  and  the  date,  show- 
ing when  they  entered  the  school : 

Sarah  Snyder,  1857,  taught  (>  years. 
*  Mrs.  Lathrop,  1858,  taught  1  year. 

O  S.  Wescott,  1859,  taught  1  year. 

Miss  Bennett,  1859,  taught  1  year. 

Miss  Crist,  18iJ0,  taught  1  year. 

Mrs.  Wilmot,  18(53,  taught  1  year. 

Hattie  Newell,  18i)4,  taught  2  years. 

Miss  Alden,  18!)5,  taught  1  year. 

Miss  Hobbs,  18t)r),  taught  2  years. 

Miss  F.  J.  Ketcham,  181)7,  taught  3 
years. 

Miss  J.  C.  Wright,  18f)7,  taught  3 
years. 

George  Winans,  18(58,  taught  1  year. 

Mai-y  Whitlock,  181)8,  taught  1  year. 

Olive  McClure,  18()8,  taught  1  year. 

Kobert  S.  Mclldulf,  18()9,  taught  2 
years. 

Mary  J.  Paul,  18159,  taught  2  years. 

Emily  Haney,  18l>9,  taught  2  years. 

Miss  M.  E.  cMcClure,  1870,  taught  4 
years. 

Lizzie  Weagley,  1870,  taught  2  years. 

Alice  Dwelley,  1870,  taught  3   years. 

Laura  Rodman,  1870,  taught  5  years. 

Mary  Sumner,    1872,  taught  2  years. 

Marietta  Baldwin,  1873,  taught  1  year. 

Mary  E.  Haines,  1873,  taught  3  years. 

Miss  Diehl,  1874,  taught  4  years. 

Franc  McClure,  1874,  taught  3  years. 

Nettie  Ketcham,  1874,  taught  3  years. 

Ella  Mills,  1874,  taught  3  years. 

Emma  Paul,  1875,  taught  2  years. 

Agnes  C.  Mcllduff,  1875,  taught  21 
years.* 

Mrs.  T.  M.  ^Vright,  187(5,  taught  3 
years . 


118 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


Jennie  Bradbury,  1877,  taught  3  years. 

Lucy  M,  Banks,  1877,  taught  8  years. 

Mrs.  C.  M.  Cyrus,  1877,  taught  — 
years. 

Emma  F.  Baker,  1877,  taught  l'.» 
years.* 

II.  Belle  Mc(;innis,  1877,  taught  8 
years. 

Emma  Rodman,  1878,  taught  2  years. 

Clara  Dunlop,  1871>,  taught  1  year. 

Sarah  Crawford,  1879,  taug'ht   1   year. 

Mattie  B.  Paul,  1880,  taught  7  years.  ■ 

Josie  McHugh,  1881,  taught  1  year. 

Mary  E   Uow,  1881.  taught  2  years. 

Addle  Northam,  1881,  taught  1   year. 

Georgiana  Scott,  1883,  taught  —  years. 

Ilattie  Strawn,  1884,  taught  —  years. 

Mrs.  H.  D.  Fisk.  1883,  taught  —years.* 

Isabel  Phillips,  18S4,  taught  —  years. 

C.  R.  Tombaugh,  1884,  taught  1  year. 

Jennie  Payne,  1884,  taught  1  year. 

T.  J.  Haney,  1885,  taught  1  year. 

Clara  E.  Fisk,  1885,  taught  2  years. 

Louisa  H.  Bartlett,  1885,   taught    2 

years. 
John  H.  Smith,  18S6,  taught  3  years. 

Minnie  Ahern,  188(i,   taught  4    years. 

Lucy  Barnum,  188B,  taught  2  years. 

Lucy  Banks,  188t),  taught  2  years. 

Samuel  Houston,  1887,  taught  4  years. 

Minnie  Ilollmeyer,  1887,  taught  1  year. 

Ella  New,  1888,  taught  1  year. 

Lillie  Conrad,  1889,  taught  (>  years.* 

Mrs.  Hubbard,  18iMJ,  taught  2  years. 

Mrs.  II.  B.  Rishell,  1891,  taught  1  year. 

Jas.  T.  Rishell.  1891,  taught  1  year. 

Mrs.  11.  1).  Fisk,  1892.* 

Mary  H.  (Joul(^  1892,   taught  2  yeare. 

Nellie  Hade.  1892.* 

C.  K.  Swanson,  1892,  taught   1  year. 

Addie  liarr,  1893.* 

Miss  Chenowith,  1893.* 

,].  II.  Meneely,  1893.* 

C.W.  Allen,  1894.* 

*Teaeliiii^'.Iiiniiiiry  l.  isor,. 

JIKill    SCllOOI.    A  SSI  .SI' A  NTS, 

Alice  (Jraves,  1879,  taught  1  year. 


Margaret  Sudduth,  1880,  taught  1 
year. 

Mary  E.  Bradford,  1881,  taught  2 
years. 

Lidia  A.  Kelly,  1883.  taught  three 
years. 

S.  Estella  Krohn,  1889,  taught  2  years. 

Anna  L.  Glidden,  ISiKJ,  taught  2  years. 

Miss  Palmitier,  1892,  taught  2  years. 

Jean  Pettett,  18W.* 


*Teachini;  January  1, 1895. 

Agnes  C.  Mcllduff,  Emma  F.  Baker, 
H,  Belle  McGiimis,  LucyM.  Banks  and 
Mattie  B.  Paul  have  taught  the  greatest 
number  of  years.  The  lir'st  two  named 
are  still  employed  in  the  school. 

Names  of  those  who  have  served  their 
country  faithfully  in  the    capacity  of 
school  director  and  board  of  edu.cation  : 
D.  McWilliams,       J.  B.  Travis, 
Geo.  Whitlock,         Nelson  Cornell, 
Oren  Gould,  Robt.  Young, 

Henry  Eldridge,      Chas.  S.  Newell. 
W.  H.  Ketcham,      S.  L.  D.  Ramsey, 
AValter  Baladen,      J.  G.  Strong, 
John  Sherrill.  Dr.  J.  II.  Hagerty, 

James  Mcllduff,       W.  S.  Sims. 
A.  E.  Gould,  Jesse    Diftenbaugh, 

S.  M.  AVitt,  Eugene  Baker, 

A.  McKay,  O.  W.  Pollard. 

J.  J.  (k>re,  C.  J.  Jvidd, 

]i   A.  Buck,  R.  P.    Morgan,   Jr.. 

J.  C.  Lewis,  John  C.  (ieorge. 

Dr.  M.  Palm,  E.  T.  Miller.* 

John  A.  Pettett,*    N.  N.  Mickelson,* 
(reorge  S.  I>aker,      John  Leach, 
John  Dennehe.         John  Geis, 
L.  .I.Trunnell.  .1.  R.  Oughtim. 

A.  Rurbaker,*  Dr.  C.  H.  Rarr,* 

L.  11.  Martin,*  JNIrs.  C    M.   Raker.* 


♦Board  of  Edncation  .laniiary  1,  1805. 

Mrs.  C.  .M.  Raker  was  the  first  lady 
ever  elected  on  the  board,  and  made  a 
splendid  oflicial. 

11  has  not  been  custumai'y  to  re-elect 
a   man    alter   he   served  one  term.     In 


-»f^W 


■  i».»ji|ii  I   .     ■ IT,     ^^^.^W 

■VMMi-iJ.    IMMAtMo.   llTllBIM 

Pf?^"^'^  '•"'■^*«st.«r  iiiSi^jj^Kr-  ■•'"-"*  S( 


mr-M 


West  Side  School 


East  Side  School. 


HISTORY  OF  DWKJIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


119 


many  cases  the  retiring  director  was 
urged  to  allow  his  name  to  go  before  the 
people  for  re-election,  but  he  preferred 
to  draw  his  princely  salary  and  mod- 
estly retire.  In  thirty-two  years  but 
three  men  have  served  two  full  terms. 

The  marked  success  of  D.  Mc  Williams, 
II.  Eldridge,  Jesse  Diffenbaugh,  Rich- 
ard P.  Morgan,  .Jr.,  C.  J.  Judd,  Eugene 
Baker,  S.  M.  AVitt,  A.  McKay,  O.  W. 
Pollard  and  others,  in  business,  or  in 
the  held  of  politics,  has  led  many  to  be- 
lieve that  the  office  is  a  guarantee  to 
wealth  or  fame,  or  both. 

(JEADUATES 

CLA.Sri    1880. 

Allie  Eldridge,         Charles  Fallis, 
Charles  Ehodes. 

CLASS  1881. 
Alice  Kattenbury,    Alice  Paul, 
Anna  Baker,  J.   P.   McAVilliams, 

Edith  Kneeland,      Fred  AVood. 

CLASS  1882. 
Nora  Goodman,        John  Smith, 
Mary  Marshall,         Frank  Thole, 
Laura  Thompson. 

CLASS  1884. 
Effie  E.  Baker,  Annie  E.  Fox, 

Jennie  Rattenbury,  Jennie  Payne, 

CLASS  1885. 
Erminie  Ahern,        Frank  L.  Smith, 
Frank  AVilson,  Ella  Conant, 

Mary  Longe,  Mary  Cusick. 

CLASS    188f). 

Louise  McAA''illiams,  Cora  Adams, 
A'erna  Koehnlein,    Eugene  (ieorge, 
Samuel  Houston, 


CLASS  1887, 

Lilly  B.  Conrad,       Nellie  AVeldon, 
Mary  O'Malley,         Julia  O'Malley. 

CLASS  1888. 

Jennie  Cad  wallader,  Alice  Perry, 
Lilla  Koehnlein,       Anna  Dunlop, 
Luella  Stevens,         Minnie  Lower, 
Aura  Gallop. 

CLASS    1889, 


D.  C.  Morgan, 
Fred  Smith, 
Louise  de  Clercq, 
Nellie  Jeffries, 


Charles  A'ickery, 
Nellie  Doherty, 
Bessie  Iluey, 
Henry  AVood. 

CLASS   1890, 


John  George,  AValter  O'Malley, 

Jennie  Koehnlein,    Alice  Longe, 
Dell  Pearre,  Mary  Conrad, 

CLASS  1891. 

Minnie  E,  Barr,       Mildred  C.  Gould, 
E.  May  Morris,         Fred  B.  de  Clercq, 
Marcella  Ferguson,  Maggie  E,  Kern. 

CLASS  1892. 
Bessie  A,  Baker,      Fannie  Conner, 
Clay  D,  Parker,        M.  Etta  Calder, 
Charles  A,  Simmons, 

CLASS  1893. 
Addie  B,  Fenn,         Dora  E.  Kern, 
M.Mabel  Thompson,  Frank  E.  Ford, 
John  O'Malley. 

CLASS  1894. 
Mary  Fifield,  Emma  Groll, 

Marie  PeterseiL 


120 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLIJ^OIS. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


THE  DWIGHT  GUARDS  AND  THE  lOTH  BATTALION,  I.  N.  G. 


RECOLLECTIONS  BY  COLONEL  J.  B.  PARSONS. 


June  20,  1874,  an  independent  com- 
pany of  state  militia  was  organized  at 
Dwight  and  was  designated  The  Dwight 
Guards . 

J.  B.  Parsons  was  elected  captain,  S. 
H.  Kenney  first  lieutenant  and  S.  M. 
Witt  second  lieutenant. 

The  company  was  composed  of  about 
forty  men,  quite  a  number  of  whom  had 
seen  service  in  the  late  war. 

The  oflticers  were  duly  commissioned 
by  John  L.  Beveridge,  then  gov- 
ernor of  Illinois,  E.  L.  Iliggins  being  at 
that  time  adjutant  general  of  the  state. 
The  Dwight  Guards  was  the  first  mili- 
tary company  organized  in  the  county, 
in  fact  there  were  then  but  three  or  four 
other  companies  of  militia  in  the  state, 
but  soon  after  this  time  considerable  in- 
terest was  manifested  in  militia  matters. 

The  first  arms  issued  to  the  Dwight 
company  were  fifty  of  the  old  muzzle- 
loading  Enfield  muskets,  with  equip- 
ments, all  of  which  had  done  service  in 
the  late  war. 

Our  first  quarters  were  in  Smith's 
hall  over  J.  J.  Smith's  shop  on  Mazon 
avenue. 

At  that  time  the  state  was  without 
militia   law  and   without   fiuids  to  pay 


any  expense  in  the  militia  line.  During 
the  month  of  July,  1874,  the  company 
purchased  neat  uniforms  with  their  per- 
sonal funds,  and  the  ladies  of  Dwight 
presented  them  with  a  very  nice  bunting 
riag.  The  company  took  considerable 
interest  in  their  meetings  and  drill  and 
soon  assumed  quite  a  military  bearing 
and  became  somewhat  proficient  in 
drill. 

In  August  of  that  year  the  company 
made  arrangements  for  a  military  drill 
and  sham  battle  to  be  held  in  Dwight  on 
the  14th  of  that  month.  This  being  a 
novel  thing  and  other  attraction  being 
added,  all  of  which  were  well  adver- 
tised, the  event  was  a  great  success  as 
to  numbers  and  I  think  the  crowd  has 
seldom  been  exceeded  in  Dwight. 

The  Fairbury  military  company,  which 
had  been  organized  that  month,  was  on 
hand  in  force,  a  cannon  was  obtained 
from  Gardner  and  a  quantity  of  blank 
ammunition  was  secured.  The  Pontiac 
fire  dei)artment  was  kindly  present  with 
their  new  fire  engine.  The  cornet  band 
was  engaged  and  the  usual  side  shows 
were  on  hand.  The  celebration  was 
held  at  the  east  side  school  grounds  and 
the  sham  battle  took  place  (m  the  open 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


121 


lield  on  the  east  side  of  the  school 
grounds.  The  day  was  splendid,  and 
everything  went  well  unti4  afternoon, 
then  accidents  seemed  to  be  the  order. 
Seats  fell  and  one  man  had  a  leg  broken. 
During  the  rapid  firing  at  the  time  of 
the  sham  battle  Zane  Turner  had  his 
arm  badly  shattered  by  a  premature  dis- 
charge of  the  cannon,  he  being  one  of 
the  gunners.  A  little  later  the  lire  en- 
gine was  withdrawn  by  the  fire  com- 
pany from  the  school  grounds  to  East 
street  to  give  an  exhibition  in  throwing 
water,  the  engine  being  placed  at  the 
large  well  at  the  north  end  of  Strong's 
warehouse  to  procure  water.  The  ex- 
liibition  was  proceeding  nicely,  but  the 
water  was  such  that  it  foamed  and  was 
not  properly  indicated  by  the  steam 
gauge.  Soon  a  loud  report  was  heard, 
the  engine  had  blown  up.  The  crown 
of  the  engine  was  blown  about  forty 
feet  into  the  air,  the  tire  fiew  in  all  di- 
rections, setting  tire  to  the  warehouse 
and  all  was  excitement.  Fortunately 
the  result  was  not  as  serious  as  would 
have  been  expected,  but  two  or  three 
members  of  the  tire  company  were 
slightly  burned  or  scalded,  the  tire  at 
the  warehouse  was  soon  extinguished, 
and  strange,  to  say,  none  of  the  crowd 
was  seriously  hurt,  but  the  accident 
tended  to  dampen  the  festivities  of  the 
day.  While  the  day  in  many  respects 
was  a  great  success  still  the  accidents 
were  of  much  regret. 

About  the  middle  of  May  of  the  fol- 
lowing year  the  Dwight  (Juards  were 
invited  and  attended  a  soldiers"  and 
sailors*  reunion  at  Chicago.  We  were 
furnished  quarters  at  the  hotels  and 
had  a  very  enjoyable  time. 

On  Saturday,  May  30,  1875,  occurred 
the  first  memorial  services  ever  held  in 
Dwight,  and  I  believe  about  as  success- 
ful as  any  that  has  svicceeded  it.  The 
services  were  held  in  the  ^Vest  Park,  a 


large  wooden  monument  nicely  covered 
having  been  erected  on  which  was  dis- 
played the  names  of  all  soldiers  who  en- 
tered the  service  from  Dwight  and  who 
had  given  their  lives  in  defense  of  their 
country. 

A  procession  was  formed  at  2  p.  m. 
at  Smith's  hall  on  Mazon  avenue  headed 
by  the  Dwight  ct)rnet  band  followed  by 
the  Dwight  Guards  escorting  soldiers  of 
the  late  war,  they  being  followed  by  the 
secret  societies  of  Dwight  and  many 
citizens  in  the  procession,  the  procession 
movmg  to  the  West  Park  with  the  band 
playing  a  dirge,  the  Dwight  Guards  at 
reversed  arms. 

The  president  of  the  day  was  liev.  M. 
M.  Longley  ;  vice-presidents,  Hon.  J. 
G.  Strong,  C.  J.  Judd,  E.  R.  Stevens, 
Mrs.  W.  H.  Ketcham,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Brad- 
bury, Mrs.  I.  N.  Gray,  Mrs.  R.  Springer, 
Mrs.  R.  M.  Gardner,  Mrs.  J.  H.  Coe, 
Mrs.  J.  G.  Strong  and  Mrs.  J.  M.  Baker. 

COMMITTEE   OF   AKRANOEMEXT8. 

Capt,  J,  B.  Parsons,  Hon.  J.  G.  Strong, 
Joseph  Baker,  H.  A.  Kenyon,  Mrs.  W. 
II.  Ketcham,  S.  W.  Strong,  Capt.  J.  B. 
Baker,  Mrs.  AV.  II.  Bradbury,  Mrs.  I.  N. 
Gray,  Mrs.  R.  Springer,  Mrs.  R.  M. 
(iardner,  Mrs.  J.  II.  Coe,  Mrs.  J.  G. 
Strong  and  Mrs.  J.  Baker. 

ORDjat   OF   EXERCISES. 

Music— Old  Hundred.  .Choir  and  Band 

Invocation Rev.  C.  II.  DeLong 

Reading  of  the  Scriptures 

Rev.  M.  V.  B.White 

Introductory  Remarks President 

Unveiling  of  Monument 

Four  Young  Ladies 

Music  Band 

Readingof  Roll  of  Honor..!!.  A. Kenyon 

Music Band 

Prayer Rev.  M.  M.  Longley 

Memorial  Poem W.  II.  Bradbury 

Music Choir 

Address Rev.  O .  W.  Pollard 

Music Band 


oo 


HISTORY  OF  D WIGHT,  ILLI^NOIS. 


Address Rev.  W.  Xeitz 

Music Choir 

Address Rev.  C.  H.  DeLong 

Music Band 

Closing  Address. .  .Rev.  M.  V.  B.White 

The  procession  then  proceeded  to  the 
cemeteries  and  decorated  the  soldiers' 
graves,  the  benediction  being  pro- 
nounced by  Rev.  W.  Xeitz. 

On  June  8  Gen.  Ducaf,  of  Chicago, 
was  appointed  brigadier-general  of  the 
state  militia.  On  July  14,  1875,  the 
Dwight  guards  accepted  an  invitation 
from  the  Morris  Grays  to  attend  a 
celebration  at  Morris.  The  visit  was 
much  enjoyed  by  the  D wight  company. 
The  Morris  Grays  had  been  organized 
in  December  prior. 

In  August,  1875,  the  Dwight  Guards, 
with  the  Dwight  band,  attended  the 
county  fair  at  Pontiac  and  remained 
over  until  the  following  day  to  attend 
the  soldiers'  reunion  which  was  ad- 
dressed by  (rovernor  Beveridge,  Col. 
Fort  and  others . 

A  company  was  organized  in  Pontiac 
in  the  fall  of  1875  and  assigned  to  the 
tenth  battalion,  II.  B.  Reed,  captain; 
James  Fenton,  first  lieutenant,  and  C. 
Clary,  second  lieutenant.  By  December, 
1875,  about  tifty  companies  of  militia 
had  been  organized  throughout  the 
state,  and  it  had  become  necessary  to 
consolidate  them  into  battalions  or  reg- 
iments, hence  an  order  was  issued  on 
the  21st  day  of  December  of  that  year 
by  tlie  adjutant  general  forming  seven 
battalions  and  regiments.  By  this  or- 
der the  First  and  Second  regiments  were 
composed  of  the  several  companies 
which  had  been  organized  in  Chicago, 
and  the  Third  regiment  was  composed 
of  tlie  following  companies  :  The  Ster- 
ling City  (Uiards,  Rockford  (Juards, 
Sycamore  Union  (iuards.  La  Salle  Light 
(luards,  Morris  Guards,  Dwight  Guards, 
Streator  Veteran  Guards,  Boone  County 


Guards  and  the  Bohemian  Rifles  of 
Chicago,  An  election  has  held  at  Ster- 
ling in  January,  187(),  which  resulted  in 
the  election  of  Captain  J.  "NV.  R.  Stam- 
baugh,  of  the  Sterling  company,  as  col- 
onel of  the  regiment.  At  this  meeting 
Upton's  Military  Tactics  were  adopted. 
A  committee  on  the  style  of  uniform 
for  the  regiment  was  appointed  consist- 
ing of  the  commanding  officers  of  each 
company,  J.  B.  Parsons  being  named  as 
chairman.  Also  a  committee  on  seciu;- 
ing  a  proper  and  efficient  militia  law  for 
the  state  was  appointed  consisting  of 
Captain  R.  A.  Smith,  Captain  J.  B.  Par- 
sons and  Captain  J.  B.  Day. 

In  March,  187ti.  the  Dwight  Guards 
received  from  the  state  sixty  new 
breech-loading  Springfield  rifles,  calibre 
45,  with  proper  accoutrements  Tlie 
company  felt  much  pleased  with  them, 
as  they  were  a  modern  and  superior 
arm  and  the  first  received  by  the  state . 
The  company  purchased  new  caps  and 
made  other  additions  to  their  uniforms, 
which,  with  their  new  arms  and  excel- 
lent drill,  gave  them  a  fine  appearance. 
In  July  the  Dwight  Guards  went  to 
Joliet  and  took  part  in  a  sham  battle  at 
the  fair  grounds. 

August  1,  187H,  an  order  was  issued 
by  the  adjutant  general  consolidating 
the  following  companies  which  should 
constitute  the  Tenth  battalion  : 

Dwight  Guards,  Captain  J,  B.  Par- 
sons ;  Streator  A'eteran  Guards,  Captain 
J.  W.  Landis;  Pontiac  (iuards,  Captain 
II,  B.  Reed  ;  Joliet  Citizens'  ('orps,  Cap- 
tain D.  C.  Hayes  ;  Odell  (Juards,  Ca])- 
tain  J  .  K.  Howard. 

All  election  of  officers  was  ordered 
held  at  liwight  on  the  15th  of  August 
and  the  following  officers  were  elected 
and  commissioned :  .T.  H.  l^arsons, 
lieutenant  colonel  ;  L.  C.  Mills,  major  ; 
L.  C.  Mitchell,  surgeon  ;  J.  F.  Culver, 
chaplain;  and  the  following  staff'  offi- 


Col.  J.  B.  Parsons. 


John   Pettett. 


Chas.  Waters. 


Eugene  Flagler. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


123 


cers  were  appointed:  J.  B.  Fithian, 
adjutant,  and  C.  J.  Judd,  quarter- 
master. The  several  companies  were 
designated  as  follows :  Company  A, 
Pontiac  Guards ;  company  B,  Joliet 
Citizens'  Corps ;  company  C,  Streator 
Guards  ;  company  D,  Odell  Guards ; 
and  ccmipany  E,  Dwight  Guards.  Ad- 
ams' cornet  band  of  Dwight  was  as- 
signed to  the  Tenth  battalion.  It  was 
an  excellent  band  and  always  cheerfully 
responded  to  calls  from  the  Tenth  bat- 
talion. The  band  was  then  composed 
of  the  following  members  :  R.  C.  Ad- 
ams, Eugene  Flagler,  C.  M.  Baker,  John 
Poole,  Henry  Morgan,  Del  Wait,  E. 
Foesterling,  Lewis  Williams,  Ed.  Ad- 
ams, George  Morgan,  Ilerschel  Hagerty 
and  S.  M.  Witt. 

A  battalion  drill  was  held  on  Septem- 
ber 28  at  Renf  re  vv  Lodge,  Dwight,  by 
all  of  the  companies  of  the  battalion, 
the  adjutant  general  of  the  state  being 
present,  the  drill  closing  with  a  sham 
battle. 

During  the  fall  of  1876  the  Catholic 
church  of  Dwight  held  a  fair  and  of- 
fered a  fine  silk  flag,  nicely  mounted,  as 
a  prize  to  the  best  drilled  militia  com- 
pany. This  flag  was  secured  by  the 
Dwight  Guards. 

November  25,  1876,  the  Marseilles 
Light  Guards,  Captain  J.  B.  Preston 
commanding,  were  assigned  to  the 
Tenth  battalion  and  designated  as  com- 
pany F. 

In  the  sprmg  of  1877  the  Dwight 
Guards  built  an  armory  22x50  on  the 
east  side  of  AVest  street,  near  Mazon 
avenue,  at  a  cost  of  about  $400.  Hav- 
ing several  carpenters  in  the  company 
they  did  the  greater  part  of  the  work 
themselves.  This  building  gave  them 
a  good  room  for  their  meetings  and  for 
their  drill  in  the  manual  of  arms,  stor- 
age of  arms,  camp  equippage,  etc. 
After    the    company    was    disbanded 


the  armory  building  was  sold  to  Charles 
Waters  for  a  hardware  store. 

May  30  the  Dwight  company  took 
part  in  the  memorial  services  at  Joliet. 

On  July  1,  1877,  a  new  militia  code  or 
law  went  into  effect.  This  law  had 
been  passed  by  the  general  assembly  of 
1877  and  duly  approved  by  S.  M.  Cul 
lom,  then  governor.  The  provisions  of 
this  law  were  the  first  encouragement 
the  militia  of  Illinois  had  received.  The 
active  militia  was  designated  the  Illi- 
nois National  Guard,  each  company  to 
consist  of  a  captain,  a  first  and  second 
lieutenant,  five  sergeants,  eight  corpor- 
als with  not  less  than  forty  nor  more 
than  100  non-commissioned  officers  and 
privates.  It  provided  for  enrollment  for 
five  years,  annual  parades  and  encamp- 
ments, arms  and  armories,  fines  and 
court  martials  and  appropriations  which 
authorized  a  levy  of  one-twentieth  of 
one  mill  on  a  dollar  upon  all  the  taxable 
property  in  the  state,  this  to  be  set  aside 
as  a  military  fund.  At  this  time  there 
were  about  5,000  men  in  the  Illinois 
State  Guard,  about  one-half  of  whom 
were  well  uniformed  and  equipped. 
The  law  provided  for  brigade  and  di- 
vision organization.  J.  T.  Torrence 
was  appointed  by  the  governor  brigadier 
general  commanding  the  First  brigade 
to  which  we  were  attached,  and  Gen. 
A.  C.  Ducat  was  appointed  major  gen- 
eral to  command  the  division. 

About  the  middle  of  July  Adjutant 
J.  B.  Fithian  resigned  and  Reed  Jones 
was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy. 

A  general  reorganization  of  the  state 
militia  under  the  new  law  was  ordered, 
but  about  this  time  strikes  and  rioting 
had  become  somewhat  general  through- 
out the  state,  and  during  the  last  of 
July,  1877,  intense  excitement  existed 
throughout  the  country.  The  people 
then,  for  the  first  time  since  the  war, 
realized  the  necessity  of  armed  bodies 


124 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


of  troojjs.  During  the  spring  of  1877 
the  miners  at  Braidwood  came  out 
on  a  strike,  and  by  the  middle  of  July 
were  carrying  things  with  a  high  hand. 
Trouble  was  expected  there.  Orders 
were  issued  to  hold  the  members  of  the 
Tenth  battalion  well  in  hand  and  have 
all  armories  guarded.  A  supply  of 
ammunition  had  been  ordered  for  all 
the  companies,  but  the  sending  of  the 
same  was  delayed  from  day  to  day  by 
general  headquarters.  About  the  22nd 
of  July  the  sheriff  of  Will  county  and 
his  deputies  were  driven  out  of  Braid- 
wood.  Then  the  colored  miners  left 
for  safety,,  going  in  a  body,  some  to 
Wilmington  and  some  to  Dwight. 

On  the  23d  I  received  an  order  from 
the  adjutant  general  of  the  state  to 
have  my  command  ready  for  duty,  and 
another  dispatch  the  same  day  that  am- 
munition would  be  sent  to-morrow.  Ef- 
forts were  being  made  by  the  state  to 
procure  a  supply  from  Rock  Island.  A 
vast  number  of  orders  was  received  by 
telegraph  until  the  28th.  In  the  mean- 
time the  trains  had  all  stopped  running. 
The  sheriff  of  Will  county  had  called  on 
the  governor  for  help  and  advised  on 
the  26th  that  not  less  than  1,000  well 
armed  men  be  sent  to  Braidwood.  Fin- 
ally, on  the  evening  of  the  27th  of  July 
I  received  orders  from  Major  General 
Ducat  to  concentrate  my  command  at 
Dwight  by  noon  on  the  day  following, 
and  proceed  to  Braidwood,  he"  to  leave 
Chicago  with  six  companies  of  the  First 
regiment  and  the  Third  regiment  in  time 
to  form  a  junction  with  me  at  that  point. 
Orders  were  telegraphed  to  the  several 
companies  of  my  command  to  proceed 
to  Dwight  by  special  trains  which  should 
reach  here  before  noon  on  the  28th. 
This  they  did  promptly.  The  Joliet 
company  was  ordered  to  remain  on 
duty  at  the  state  prison  to  prevent  any 
possible  trouble  from  the  prisoners  at 


that  place,  and  the  Marseilles  com- 
pany was  ordered  to  proceed  to  Joliet 
and  connect  with  the  special  train  with 
the  troops  from  Chicago. 

A  special  train  Avas  provided  at 
Dwight  to  take  the  Tenth  Battalion 
to  Braidwood,  but  there  was  some 
delay  in  getting  started,  one  rea- 
son being  that  our  promised  ammu- 
nition had  not  arrived.  One  or  two 
of  the  companies  had  a  few  rounds,  but 
it  could  not  be  divided  up  to  advantage 
with  other  companies  as  their  arms 
were  not  all  of  the  same  style  and  cali- 
bre. In  the  meantime  the  troops  from 
the  north  had  reached  Joliet  and  taken 
on  two  guns  of  King's  Battery,  it  hav- 
ing been  reported  that  the  miners 
at  Braidwood,  who  numbered  about 
2,500,  had  procured  a  field  piece.  This, 
however,  did  not  prove  true.  During 
the  latter  part  of  the  afternoon  we  left 
Dwight  for  Braidwood.  We  left  the 
train  about  one-half  mile  from  the  town 
and  proceeded  to  march  toward  the 
place.  We  soon  ascertained  that  the 
troops  from  the  north  had  preceded  us 
into  the  town  and  that  the  miners  had 
offered  no  resistence  and  that  the  hon- 
ors of  a  bloodless  victory  belonged  to 
the  troops  which  had  come  from  the 
north.  We  then  marched  to  the  rail- 
road roundhouse,  put  on  a  camp  guard 
and  quartered  in  the  roundhouse  for 
the  night.  On  Sunday,  tlie  day  follow- 
ing, the  houses  of  the  place  were 
searched  and  all  arms  found  were  con- 
fiscated, receipts  being  given  the  own- 
ers for  the  same.  The  colored  miners 
which  had  gone  to  Dwight  and  Wil- 
mington wished  to  return  tt)  Braidwood 
and  asked  protection  from  General 
Ducat,  which  was  granted  them  on  their 
arrival. 

On  Sunday  tlje  Joliet  company  was 
Avithdrawn  from  the  prison  and  joined 
us  at  Braidwood. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS, 


125 


On  Tuesday,  the  31st,  General  Ducat 
with  his  troops  returned  by  special  train 
to  their  homes,  he  leaving  me  in  com- 
mand with  the  Tenth  battalion. 

The  command  was  then  divided, 
some  of  the  companies  being  encamped 
in  the  town  and  others  being  withdrawn 
to  a  coal  shaft  near  the  outskirts  of  the 
place.  Matters  remained  quiet  and  no 
outbreaks  occurred. 

On  the  2nd  of  August  Governor  Cul- 
lom  visited  us.  Matters  were  duly  can- 
vassed and  he  returned  to  Springfield 
that  evening. 

That  day  the  Pontiac,  Streator,  Joliet 
and  Marseilles  companies  were  relieved 
and  returned  to  their  homes. 

In  a  few  days  the  arms  which  had 
been  taken  from  the  miners  were  re- 
turned to  them. 

Tents  were  provided  and  a  temporary 
issue  of  blankets  was  made  by  Quarter- 
master Judd  to  the  Dwight  and  Odell 
companies. 

Matters  continued  quiet,  the  usual 
guard  and  picket  duty  was  performed, 
and  company  drill  was  held  daily.  On 
the  8th  of  August  orders  were  received 
for  the  command  to  return  home  leav- 
ing Quartermaster  Judd  in  charge  to 
report  matters  to  the  adjutant  general 
and  adjust  state  accounts.  This  would 
seem  like  leaving  a  comrade  in  the 
hands  of  the  enemy,  but  as  usual  he 
proved  eqvial  to  the  occasion. 

The  following  day  the  balance  of  the 
command,  consisting  of  the  Dwight  and 
Odell  companies,  returned  home.  Thus 
ended  the  "Braidwood  War."  Many 
things  had  happened  which  at  the  time 
or  afterward  seemed  very  amusing,  but 
this  would  not  seem  strange  under  all 
the  circumstances.  Lieutenant  Judd 
attended  to  the  detail  work  of  adjust- 
ing the  quartermaster's  account  for  the 
battalion  ;  also  the  muster  and  pay  rolls 
for  settlement    by  the  state.    This  he 


did  in  a  very  proficient  manner,  but,  for 
lack  of  funds,  the  troops  were  not  paid 
for  their  services  until  May,  1879.  The 
pay  was  the  same  as  for  troops  in  the 
regular  service.  The  pay  for  company 
E  was  from  July  23  to  August  15  inclu- 
sive, and  amounted,  for  a  private  sol- 
dier, to  $11.35. 

August  18,  1877,  the  La  Salle  Light 
Guards,  Captain  W.  G.  Coulter  com- 
manding, were  detached  from  the  Third 
regiment  and  assigned  to  the  Tenth 
battalion  and  designated  company  G, 
but  this  order  was  soon  afterward  re- 
voked by  the  adjutant  general. 

August  23  the  Wenona  Guards,  Cap- 
tain O.  M.  Southwell  commanding, 
were  assigned  to  the  Tenth  battalion 
and  designated  company  H.  On  the 
same  date  the  Ottawa  Guards,  Captain 
Edward  H.  Smith  commanding,  were 
attached  to  the  Tenth  battalion  and 
designated  company  I. 

The  following  roster  will  give  as  near 
as  I  am  able  to  obtain,  the  names  of  the 
member  of  the  Dwight  Guards  in  the 
fall  of  1877.  Many  others  had  been 
members  of  the  company  prior  to  this 
and  subsequent  to  this,  but  I  regret 
that  I  am  unable  to  give  a  complete  list 
of  such  names  : 

Samuel  H.  Kenney,  captain. 

Silas  M.  Witt,  first  lieutenant. 

James  H.  Lloyd,  second  lieutenant. 

Frank  B.  Chester,  first  sergeant. 

Sergeants — Richard  Roe,  Hans  Mad- 
sen,  Samuel  Foster,  James  Kelagher, 
George  W.  Kyler. 

Corporals— James  M.  Dunlap,  George 
W.  Gaghagan,  Levi  Wood,  Charles  M. 
Mackley,  John  M.  Kenney,  Charles 
Kingman,  Jonah  G.  Winters,  Daniel  D. 
Lewis. 

Musicians— James  Riggs  and  Iler- 
schel  L.  Ilagerty. 

Privates— Isaac  Alyea,  Michael  II. 
Blair,  John    Byrns,    John  W.  Baker, 


126 


HISTOKY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLr:NUIS. 


Eolla  D.  Calkins,  Daniel  F.  Chariton, 
John  Cornlusen,  Patrick  Conefry,  David 
Duncan,  Louis  Engelbert,  John  S. 
Gaghagan,  Smith  Gillen,  Stephen  A. 
Goodman,  James  S.  Goodman,  Andy 
Irving,  Ole  H.  Jensen,  Frank  L.  Lewis, 
Jabez  Luther,  William  Morris,  William 
T.  Magee,  Alfred  Miller,  Charles  Miller, 
Egbert  Miller,  Eli  Mullen,  James  Mor- 
ris, Henry  T.  Melhviish,  George  Mc- 
Neill, Henry  Parker,  John  Perry, 
Charles  Rice,  Joseph  Riling,  Lawrence 
Roe,  Charles  Staley,  Arial  R.  Stevens, 
Samuel  L.  Slyder,  William  Sherwood, 
Henry  C.  Sims,  James  K.  Short,  Henry 
Thompson,  William  Thackery,  Marion 
C.  Wood,  Steven  W.  Winters,  Thomas 
H.  Walker,  Ralph  Walker,  James  N. 
White,  Charles  Walso,  William  Wink- 
ler. 

Major  L.  C.  Mills  resigned  and  his 
resignation  accepted  about  the  middle 
of  August.  The  batallion  was  now 
composed  of  companies  enough  to  be 
entitled  to  regimental  organization.  An 
order  was  issued  to  that  effect  and  an 
election  ordered  to  be  held  at  D  wight  on 
the  3d  day  of  September,  1877,  to  elect 
field  officers  for  the  regiment.  This 
election  was  held  with  the  following 
results  : 

J.  B.  Parsons,  colonel. 

J.  W.  Preston,  lieutenant  colonel. 

B.  E,  Robinson,  major. 

This  election  was  properly  certified  to 
and  duly  forwarded,  but  before  com- 
missions were  issued  the  point  was 
raised  that  some  of  the  ballots  had  been 
cast  by  proxy.  Up  to  that  time  the  cus- 
tom had  been  that  where  a  company 
was  represented,  three  votes  might  be 
cast  by  the  officers  present  from  each 
company  when  they  held  proxies  for 
any  commissioned  officers  of  their  com- 
pany that  might  not  be  present.  The 
matter  being  brought  to  the  attention 
of  the  adjutant  general,  he  then  ruled 


that  by  reason  of  these  proxies  the  elec-  j 
tion  was  void  and  commissions  were  1 
withheld. 

In  September  a  company  was  again 
mustered  at  Fairbury,  L.  J.  Secrist 
commanding.  September  24,  1877,  an 
order  was  issued  which  revoked  the 
former  order  for  a  regimental  organiza- 
tion and  restored  again  the  Tenth  bat- 
talion with  the  following  companies 
consolidated :  Dwight  Guards,  Odell 
Guards,  Pontiac  Guards,  Wenona 
Guards  and  Fairbury  Guards.  An 
election  was  called  to  be  held  at  Dwight 
on  the  5th  day  of  October,  1877,  to  elect 
field  officers  for  the  same.  This  resulted 
in  the  election  of  J.  B.  Parsons,  lieuten- 
ant colonel ;  and  Captam  J.  K.  Howard 
of  the  Odell  company,  major,  and  they 
were  duly  commissioned.  The  follow- 
ing staff  officers  were  appointed  : 

H,  E.  W.  Barnes,  captain  and  assist- 
ant surgeon. 

J.  F.  Culver,  Captain  and  chaplain. 

C.  J.  Judd,  lieutenant  and    adjutant. 

Cadet  Taylor,  lieutenant  and  quar- 
termaster. 

The  following  non-commissioned  staff 
was  appointed  : 

C.  C.  Strawn,  sergeant  major. 

C.  D.  Parker,  quratermaster  sergeant. 

Ricliard  Roe,  commissary   sergeant. 

Phillip  Wade,  hospital  steward. 

Geo.  W.  Kyler,  color  sergeant. 

J.  H.  Gaff,  ordinance  sergeant. 

E.  W.  Mcintosh,  drum-major. 

P.  A.  Trowbridge  and  T.  A.  Daniels, 
principal  musicians. 

Letters  designating  the  companies 
were  revised  as  follows  ; 

A,  Pontiac  company. 

B,  Wenona  company. 

C,  Fairbury  company. 

D,  Odell  company. 

E,  Dwight  company. 

The  commissioned  officers  in  these 
companies,  as  then  or  afterwards  com- 
missioned, were  as  follows : 


fOJI.(//V/r/^/^  f//(    Cc    cMf 


The  Leslie  E.  Keeley  Co.s  Office  and  Laboratory. 


Livingston  Hotel. 


Women  s  Home. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


127 


Company  A — Captains,  B.  E.  Robin- 
son and  F.  J.  Maxwell;  lirst  lieuten- 
ants, D.  M.  Lyons,  R.  J.  Johnson  and 
James  Fenton  ;  second  lieutenant,  J.  C. 
Keach. 

Company  B— Captains,  O.  M.  South- 
well, S.  B.  Patch  and  Samuel  Brown  ; 
tirst  lieutenants,  S.  B.  Patch,  P.  Beck- 
with  and  R.  F.  Beecher  ;  second  lieu- 
tenants, P.  Beckwith,  Samuel  Brown 
and  Cadet  Taylor. 

Company  C — Captains,  L.  J.  Secrist, 
J.  M.  Wright.  J.  W.  Morris  and  J.  S. 
De  Wolf ;  lirst  lieutenants,  J.  M. 
AVright.  J.  W.  Morris,  J.  S.  Ue  Wolf  and 
Henry  Bennett  ;  second  lieutenants, 
John  W.  Morris,  J.  S.  DeAVolfand 
Henry  Bennett. 

Company  D — Captains,  J.  F.  Trow- 
bridge, F.  N.  Hossack  and  F.  M. 
Penny;  tirst  lieutenants,  E.  M. 
Yaughan,  A.  R.  Hoke  and  C.  M.  De 
Yinney  ;  second  lieutenants,  J.  L. 
Trowbridge,  F.  M.  Penny  and  P.  A. 
Trowbridge. 

Company  E — Captains,  S.  H.  Kenney 
and  S  M.  Witt  ;  lirst  lieutenants,  S.  M. 
\\  itt  and  F.  B.  Chester  ;  second  lieu- 
tenants, J  H.  Lloyd  and  G.  W.  (iagha- 
han. 

The  new  militia  code  provided  for 
payment  by  the  state  for  an  annual  pa- 
rade and  drill  for  three  days,  but  owing 
to  the  expense  incurred  by  the  state 
from  the  recent  riots,  such  parade  was 
not  ordered,  but  an  inspection  was  or- 
dei-ed  held  by  each  company  at  their 
headquarters.  In  April,  1878,  forty 
members  of  the  Dwight  company  gave 
a  power  of  attorney  to  M.  C.  Lilly  & 
Co.,  Columbus,  Ohio,  for  pay  due  them 
from  their  Braidwood  campaign  for 
forty  national  guard  uniforms  which 
they  received  the  latter  part  of  May. 
Several  others  were  soon  ordered,  so 
that  the  company  spent  at  that  time  a 
little  more  than  8*'»0()  for  uniforms. 


The  average  attendance  at  each  drill 
of  company  E,  as  certified  to  by  Cap- 
tain Kenney,  at  their  semi-monthly 
drills  from  July,  1877,  to  April,  1878, 
was  fifty-one  officers  and  men. 

In  June,  1878,  the  Livingston  County 
Agricultural  Society,  through  their  of- 
ficers, invited  the  Tenth  battalion  to 
hold  their  annual  drill  at  their  new 
grounds,  Yermillion  Park,  at  Pontiac, 
July  3rd,  4th  and  5th,  quarters,  rations, 
etc.,  to  be  furnished  by  them.  The  in- 
vitation was  accepted  and  the  attend- 
ance was  large.  A  sham  battle  was 
quite  a  drawing  feature,  the  Joliet  bat- 
tery with  their  guns  and  the  entire  Tenth 
battalion  taking  part.  On  July  13  a 
social  organization  of  company  E  was 
perfected,  calling  themselves  Parsons' 
Guards.  S.  H.  Kenney  was  elected 
president ;  S,  M.  Witt,  vice-president ; 
J,  M.  Dunlap,  secretary  ;  C,  M,  Mack- 
ley,  treasurer.  In  October  rifle  practice 
was  ordered  held  by  all  the  companies 
of  the  command,  Brigadier  General  Vt,\ 
E .  Strong  being  then  general  inspector 
of  rifle  practice.  Company  E  received 
this  year  for  hall  rent,  lights,  fuel,  in- 
surance and  for  other  expenses  about 
.S370  from  the  state. 

November  ly,  1878,  the  Bloomington 
Guards,  Captain  A.  L.  Heywood  com- 
manding, were  assigned  to  the  Tenth 
battalion  and  designated  company  F. 
Their  commissioned  officers  at  that  time 
or  during  the  service  of  this  company 
with  the  Tenth  battalion  were  as  fol- 
lows : 

Captains— A.  L.  Heywood  and  J.  F. 
Heft'erman. 

First  Lieutenants— John  Roberts,  I). 
D.  Butler,  J.  F,  Helferman  and  L.  C, 
Garver. 

Second  Lieutenants— I).  D.  Butler, 
(i.  M.  Lathrop  and  Henry  Rieb. 

February  21,  1871»,  Captain  O.  M. 
Southwell,   commanding    company    B, 


128 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


died.  Captain  Southwell  was  an  excel- 
lent officer  and  his  death  caused  much 
regret  in  the  command. 

.July  1,  1879,  a  new  militia  code  went 
into  effect.  This  required  that  no  com- 
pany should  be  composed  of  less  than 
fifty  and  not  more  than  100  men.  The 
total  number  of  national  guards  in  the 
state  not  to  exceed  8,000  men.  The  en- 
listments to  be  five  years,  levying  a  tax 
of  one  tenth  of  one  mill  on  a  dollar  on 
all  the  taxable  property  of  the  state  and 
quite  a  number  of  other  important 
changes  were  made. 

In  July,  1879,  Captain  Kenney  asked 
for  the  discharge  of  forty-six  members 
of  company  E  by  reason  of  expiration 
of  term  of  service.  The  application  was 
forwarded,  approved  and  the  members 
honorably  discharged.  During  this 
month  Lieutenant  Judd  was  commis- 
sioned captain  and  adjutant  of  the  bat- 
talion. 

Under  the  provisions  of  the  military 
code  $500  was  allowed  this  year  to  each 
brigade  headquarters  and  !$200  to  each 
regiment  and  battalion  headquarters  for 
current  expenses  of  the  same. 

August  23,  1879,  Lieutenant  S.  M. 
Witt  was  elected  captain  of  the  D  wight 
company,  vice  Captain  Kenney,  whose 
time  of  service  had  expired.  Captain 
Witt  was  afterwards  elected  sheriff  of 
Livingston  County  in  November  1882. 

In  August,  1879,  orders  were  issued 
from  general  headquarters  for  the  First 
brigade  to  assemble  at  South  Park, 
Cook  county,  on  the  3rd  day  of  Septem- 
ber for  a  four-day  brigade  encampment 
and  drill.  The  brigade  was  then  com- 
posed of  one  battalion  of  cavalry,  three 
regiments  of  infantry,  five  battalions  of 
infantry  and  three  batteries.  This  com- 
mand, with  which  we  were  connected, 
reported  at  Chicago  at  the  old  base  ball 
park  on  the  lake  front  about  noon  on 
the  3rd,  then  moved   in  regular  order, 


commanded  by  Brigadier  General  J.  T. 
Torrence,  passing  the  exposition  build- 
ing where  we  were  reviewed  by  Gov- 
ernor Cullom,  marching  thence  to  South 
Park  where  quarters  and  subsistance 
were  furnished  by  the  state,  transpor- 
tation to  Chicago  being  furnished  free 
by  the  various  railroad  companies.  The 
services  of  the  men  were  without  pay 
for  the  four  days"  encampment.  Com- 
pany, battalion  and  brigade  drills  were 
the  order  ;  also  a  sham  battle  near  the 
lake  front  on  a  grand  scale.  The  en- 
campment was  enjoyed  by  all  and  of 
much  benefit  to  the  command.  The 
drill  and  sham  battle  took  place  on  part 
of  the  ground  on  which  the  World's 
Fair  has  since  been  held.  The  follow- 
ing named  officers  then  constituted  the 
brigade  staff  : 

Lieutenant   Colonel  George  R.  Can- 
non, assistant  adjutant  general. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Elijah   B.  Sher- 
man, judge  advocate. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Samuel  B.  Apple- 
ton,  inspector  of  rirte  practice. 

^lajor  Wiley  S.  Scribner,  assistant  in- 
sjiector  general. 

Surgeon  Fernand  Ilenrotin,  brigade 
surgeon. 

Captain    Frank  G.  Iloyne,   assistant 
quartermaster 

Captain    Elliott      Durand,    assistant 
commissary  of  subsistance. 

First  Lieutenant  Edward  T.  Sawyer, 
aid-de-camp. 

First  Lieutenant  James  J.  Ilealey, 
aid-de-camp. 

The   following    officers  were  in  com 
mand  of  the  various  organizations  com- 
posing the  brigade. 

First  battalion,    cavalry.    Major   D. 
Welter. 

Second    regiment,  infantry,    Colonel 
James  (iuirk. 

Third  regiment,  infantry.  Colonel  C. 
I\I.  Brazee. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


129 


First  regiment,  infantry,  Colonel  E, 
D.  Swain. 

Battery  C,  First  artillery,  Major  M. 
Young. 

Battery  1),  First  artillery.  Major  E. 
P.  Tobey. 

Battery  A,  First  artillery,  Captain  E. 
Winter. 

Tenth  battalion,  infantry.  Lieutenant 
Colonel  .T.  B.  Parsons. 

Ninth  battalion,  infantry,  Lieutenant 
Colonel  M.  II.  Peters. 

Twelfth  battalion,  infantry,  Lieuten- 
ant Colonel  J .  B.  Fithian. 

Sixth  battalion,  infantry.  Lieutenant 
Colonel  W.  II.  Thompson. 

Sixteenth  battalion,  infantry.  Major 
S.  W.  Scott. 

In  October  ten  rounds  of  ammunition 
was  ordered  issued  to  each  man  for  tar- 
get practice  by  Colonel  .lames  A.  Shaf- 
fer then  inspector  of  rifle  practice. 

November  10,  1879,  H.  II.  McDowell 
was  appointed  and  commissioned  cap- 
tain and  assistant  inspector  of  rifla 
practice.  The  same  date  A.  (i.  Good- 
speed  was  commissioned  captain  and 
chaplain  of  the  battalion. 

March  B,  1880,  the  battalion  was  in- 
spected by  W.  S  Scribner,  major  and  in- 
spector general  of  the  First  brigade. 
The  Dwight  company  was  inspected  on 
Friday  evening,  March  20.  Company  E 
was  paid  this  year  for  expenses  as  pro- 
vided by  the  militia  code,  .i?325. 

In  August,  1880,  the  Wenona  Fair 
xVssociation,  through  its  proper  oflicers, 
extended  aii  invitation  for  the  Tenth 
battalion  to  meet  with  them  at  the  time 
of  holding  their  fair  in  September,  the 
association  to  furnish  quarters  and  ra- 
tions for  the  battalion.  Accordingly 
orders  were  issued  for  the  battalion  to 
meet  at  Wenona  on  Tuesday,  Septem- 
ber 28,  for  annual  encami)ment  and 
drill.  The  battalion  band  accompanied 
us  and  all  the  companies  reported  with 


full  ranks.  We  remained  for  two  days 
entertaining  the  crowd  each  day  with  a 
sham  battle.  No  expense  to  the  state 
was  incurred  other  than  the  use  of 
about  forty  tents. 

The  levy  of  this  year  of  one-tenth  of 
one  mill  on  the  taxable  property  of  the 
state  raised  about  !B70,000,  three-fourths 
of  which  was  apportioned  to  the  Illinois 
National  Guard  for  militia  expenses 
under  the  provisions  of  the  military 
code. 

In  February,  1881,  the  battalion  was 
inspected  at  their  various  company 
headquarters  by  Major  Eliott  Durand, 
then  inspector  general,  First  brigade. 

In  April,  1881,  company  A,  at  Pon- 
tiac,  disbanded  and  all  members  honor- 
ably discharged. 

Early  in  July  Adjutant  General  H. 
Ililliard  resigned  and  General  Isaac  H. 
Elliott  was  appointed  his  successor  in 
otlice  by  Governor  CuUom. 

In  July,  1881,  the  Fairbury  and  Bloom- 
ington  companies  received  new  breech- 
loading  Springfield  muskets. 

On  July  4,  1881,  the  Dwight  Guards 
went  to  Kankakee  and  took  a  promi- 
nent part  in  the  Fourth  of  July  celebra- 
tion in  that  city. 

On  the  fith,  7th,  8th  and  9th  of  Sep- 
tember the  Tenth  battalion,  by  invita- 
tion, attended  the  fourth  annual  en- 
campment of  the  Illinois  soldiers'  and 
sailors"  reunion  at  Bloomington.  This 
encampment  was  attended  by  com- 
panies B,  1),  E  and  F,  taking  with  them 
the  Tenth  battalion  band.  On  the  8th 
the  encampment  was  visited  by  General 
U.  S.  Grant  and  other  notables.  A 
sham  battle  was  held  in  the  fair 
grounds  ;  also  a  so-called  street  fight 
by  all  the  tpoops  present,  through  sev- 
eral of  the  streets  of  the  city.  Trans- 
portation and  quarters  were  furnished 
by  the  reunion  committee. 

In  September  orders  were  issued  re- 


130 


IIISTOllY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLI^JUIS. 


quiring  the  Illinois  National  Guard  to 
pay  fitting  tribute  to  our  martyred  Pres- 
ident James  A.  Garfield,  that  all  colors 
be  draped  and  all  officers  wear  the  usual 
badge  of  mourning  for  thirty  days. 

In  March,  1882,  Adjutant  General  El- 
liott issued  an  order  which,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  three  regiments  of  infantry, 
reorganized  and  consolidated  the  entire 
Illinois  National  Guards.  Prior  to  this 
there  were  seventeen  regiments  and 
battalions  of  infantry,  one  battalion  of 
cavalry  and  four  battalions  of  artillery 
in  the  state.  This  order  placed  together 
the  companies  at  Streator,  Sublet,  We- 
nona,  Dwight,  Joliet,  Ottawa,  Bloom- 
ington  and  Piper  City,  which  should 
comprise  the  Fourth  regiment,  infantry, 
I.  N.  G. 

An  election  for  field  officers  was  or- 
dered held  at  Ottawa,  with  the  follow- 
ing result  and  commissions  were  duly 
issued  :  Colonel,  J.  B.  Fithian  ;  lieu- 
tenant colonel,  J.  B.  Parsons  ;  major,  J. 
F.  Hetterman. 

In  August  the  following  correspond- 
ence took  place  which  explains  itself  : 

DwioHT,  111.,  Aug.  7, 1882. 
I,  H.  Elliott,  Adjutant  General  I.  N .  G., 
Springfield  111. 

General : — I  hereby  very  respectfully 
tender  my  resignation  as  lieutenant  col- 
onel Fourth  regiment,  infantry. 

Having  now  served  the  state  for  eight 
years  at  a  considerable  sacrifice  as  an 
officer  in  the  Illinois  National  Guard  1 
beg  leave  to  report  that  my  business  is 
such  that  I  cannot  longer  attend  to  tlie 
duties  devolving  upon  me  as  such. 
Very  respectfully  yours, 
,1.  ]i.  Parsons. 
Lieut.  Col.  4th  Reg.,  Inft,  I.  N.  G. 


Fourth  regiment,  infantry,  I.  N.  G., 
tenders  his  resignation  on  account  of 
imperative  business  reasons.  It  is  ac- 
cepted to  take  effect  from  this  date. 

Colonel  Parsons  has  served  in  the 
Illinois  National  Guards  eight  years, 
and  has  proved  himself  well  worthy  of 
the  rank  he  bore. 

It  is  with  regret  that  the  governor 
and    commander-in-chief    accepts    the 
resignation  of  such  an  excellent   officer 
and  tried  veteran  as  Colonel  Parsons. 
By  order  commander-in-chief, 
I.  H.  Elliott, 
Adjutant  General. 


General  IlEAD(irARTEKs,  ) 

Illinois  National  (J hard,     [- 

Springfield,  111.,  Aug.  14,  1882.  \ 

Special  Order  / 

No.  57(5.        \ 

Lieutenant  Colonel    -T.    15.   Parsons, 


This  severed  my  connection  with  the 
Illinois  National  Guard. 

The  Dwight  Guards  were  disbanded 
and  all  members  honorably  discharged 
from  the  service  in  November,  1882.         ^ 

During  the  organization  of  the 
Dwight  Guards  I  believe  they  retained 
the  confidence  and  respect  of  the  people 
of  the  community,  and  I  am  sure  the 
same  feeling  existed  towards  the  other 
companies  of  the  Tenth  battalion  in  the 
communities  in  which  they  were  lo- 
cated. I  think  that  the  members  of  the 
command  and  others  had  many  reasons 
to  feel  as  they  did,  that  the  Tenth  bat- 
talion compared  very  favorably  with 
the  best  then  in  the  state.  I'ersonally  I 
have  always  felt  under  many  obligations 
to  the  commissioned  officers  and  all 
men  of  the  command  for  their  partial- 
ity  and  cheerful  performance  of  duty. 

As  memory  goes  back  over  the  inter- 
vening time  I  am  made  sad  by  the 
thought  that  such  excellent  officers  and 
companionable  gentlemen  as  Major 
Howard,  who  died  at  Odell,  July  12, 
1882.  and  Captain  Kenney,  who  died  in 
Chicago,  September  lit,  1887.  and  others, 
and  so  many  of  the  members  of  the  old 
Tenth  battalion  have  since  crossed 
over  the  river. 


p 

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HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


131 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


DR.  LESLIE  E.  KEELEY'S  DOUBLE  CHLORIDE  OF  GOLD. 


The  notable  event  connected  with  the 
history  of  Dwight,  111.,  the  one  which 
has  given  its  name  such  an  universal 
iniblicity  throughout  the  civilized  world, 
dates  from  April,  1880. 

At  this  time  Leslie  E.  Keeley,  M.  D., 
a  physician  and  surgeon  in  general 
practice,  and  also  surgeon  of  the  Chica- 
go &  Alton  railroad,  announced  to  the 
world  that  after  years  of  scientific  re- 
search and  practical  experiments,  the 
fact  had  developed  that  drunkenness 
and  the  use  of  opiates  which  had  here- 
tofore been  recognized  as  vicious  habits, 
if  not  crimes,  were  diseases  only,  and 
as  such  amenable  to  medical  treatment 
and  cure. 

He  was  fair  to  the  world  and  ethical 
to  the  profession,  for  he  announced  the 
means  he  employed,  to- wit :  the  chlo- 
ride of  gold  and  sodium ;  and  to  show 
his  faith  in  his  work  and  the  honesty 
of  his  purpose,  he  invited  one  hundred 
physicians  to  test  the  worth  thereof  and 
prove  or  disapprove  his  position  by  the 
success  with  which  they  should  meet 
through  its  use  in  their  own  private 
practice,  he  furnishing  them  his  remedy 
free,  and  enjoining  only  that  it  should 
be  used  in  such  cases  as  in  their  judg- 
ment were  curable,  taking  all  physical 
and  moral  conditions  into  consideration. 

During  the  year  following  this  oifer 
over  BOO  pairs  of  Dr.  Keeley's  remedies 


were  contributed  for  this  purpose,  and 
their  use  was  followed  by  reports  of  the 
most  favorable  and  flattering  results. 
At  this  time  the  remedy  was  only  for 
internal  use  by  the  stomach.  Later,  by 
further  experiments,  he  discovered  a 
solution  to  be  used  in  connection  there- 
with, hypodermically,  and  which  has 
since  been  employed  in  his  Institute 
treatment.  In  addition  to  the  diseases 
above  named.  Dr.  Keeley's  remedies  are 
prepared  for  neurasthenia,  or  nerve  ex- 
havistion  and  the  tobacco  habit,  and 
have  proved  as  effectual  in  such  cases 
as  in  those  of  alcohol  and  opium. 

The  method  of  treatment  to-day  is 
conducted  upon  the  same  lines  as  orig- 
inally claimed  by  him  as  the  true  and 
practical  method,  with  the  exception, 
of  course,  of  the  added  improvements 
that  must  necessarily  come  from  years 
of  practice,  study  and  the  handling  of 
thousands  of  cases.  Under  his  methods 
the  marked  innovation  of  treating  per- 
sons afflicted  with  these  diseases  is  at  a 
first  glance  startling.  There  is  an  en- 
tire absence  of  every  objectional  fea- 
ture of  the  old  style  inebriate  asylum  or 
sanitarium,  it  being  substituted  by  an 
institute  or  home,  where  only  voluntary 
patients  are  received;  where  i)atient 
and  physician  meet  upon  the  ground  of 
a  mutual  concession  of  responsibility, 
and  where  the  afflicted  one  occupies  the 


132 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


position  of  a  temporary  resident  of  the 
city,  wherein  the  institute  or  home  may 
be  situated,  free  to  go  and  come  where 
and  when  he  chooses  ;  the  only  require- 
ments being  to  observe  regularity  in  the 
taking  of  the  internal  remedy,  as  pro- 
vided, and  reporting  punctually  four 
times  a  day  at  office  assigned  for  the 
hypodermic  treatment.  'This  mutuality 
fixes  the  patient's  earnestness  on  a  cure, 
and  places  him  on  the  same  basis  as  any 
other  invalid  who  may  be  sojourning  at 
a  summer  resort  with  his  family  physi- 
cian, seeking  quiet  and  freedom  from 
disaase,  or  rest  for  over-wrought  nerves. 
The  theory  is  that  the  remedies,  as  here 
administered,  do  what  locks  and  straps 
and  straight- jackets  and  bars  have 
never  done ;  that  a  sick  man  needs 
physical  treatment,  not  physical  re- 
straint ;  the  invalid,  the  nurse  and  not 
the  jailor.  Places  of  confinement, 
.guards,  hospital  wards,  etc.,  etc.,  are 
unknown  at  Keeley  Institutes,  and  in 
the  light  of  this  great  discovery,  are  but 
relics  of  past  barbarism.    The  object  of 

this  treatment  is  not  to  confine  a  man 
in  the  fear  that  he  may  do  himself  or 
others  bodily  harm  ;  but  to  restore  him 
to  immediate  normal  physical  condi- 
tion, capable  of  occupying  position  as  a 
man  among  men,  either  in  profession, 
trade,  business  or  society. 

The  established  success  of  the  work 
progressed,  and  in  April,  1886,  The 
Leslie  E.  Keeley  Co.,  was  incorpor- 
ated, with  Leslie  E.  Keeley,  M.  D., 
president  ;  John  R.  Oughton,  vice-pres- 
ident and  chemist,  and  Curtis  J.  Judd, 
secretary  and  treasurer,  and  these  mem- 
bers still  retain  their  several  positions. 
During  eighteen  months  of  1885  and 
1886,  the  institute  treatment  at  Dwight 
was  discontinued,  and  a  thorough  term 
of  experimental  work  was  employed 
under  Dr.  Keeley's  personal  direction,  in 


still  further  investigations,  and  in  June, 
1886,  the  Institute  was  reopened  with 
improved  remedies  and  the  added  hy- 
podermic, with  such  success  and  world- 
wide results  as  have  since  been  unpre- 
cedented m  any  feature  of  medical 
science. 

The  establishment  of  State  Institutes 
throughout  the  United  States  and 
abroad,  followed,  and  at  present  date 
number  more  than  one  hundred,  all  of 
which  are  under  the  supervision  of  com- 
petent and  experienced  managers,  and 
in  charge  of  physicians  thoroughly  in- 
structed at  Dwight  in  the  methods  and 
administration  of  the  remedies. 

The  remedies  are  a  secret  preparation 
and  will  doubtless  remain  so,  as  Dr. 
Keeley's  devotion  of  an  average  busi- 
ness man's  lifetime  to  his  work  should 
entitle  him  to  a  just  consideration  of 
his  wisdom  in  such  protection  from  the 
manipulations  of  inexperienced  people, 
as  publicity  of  the  formulae  of  this  most 
valuable  world-discov'cry  would  endan- 
ger. 

The  most  wonderful  results  are  ac- 
complished by  the  use  of  his  methods 
and  remedies.  They,  the  company,  owe 
the  world  no  apology,  yet  an  explana- 
tion for  the  purpose  of  information  may 
be  in  order.  During  the  past  fifteen 
years,  over  225,000  inebriates  have  been 
cured  of  drunkenness  and  kindred  dis- 
eases, and  to-day  there  is  not  a  hamlet 
in  the  land  that  has  not  its  staunch  sup- 
porters of  the  cure  in  one  or  more  Kee- 
ley graduates  or  friends  into  whose 
lives  its  blessing  has  not  come.  There 
is  not  a  scientist  or  divine,  who  has 
given  it  his  personal  attention  and  ex- 
amination, who  is  not  its  strong  advo- 
cate and  su{)porter.  There  is  not  a  re- 
former of  the  day,  who  has  gone  into  a 
thorough  investigation  of  its  merits, 
who  does  not  hail  it  as  the  human 
agency  that  is  to  lift  up,  carry  forward 


A 

— ^s. 

tjfr^ftb^ 

% 

€ 

^ 

^^^^K^~ 

i^W 

^!^!9H' 

/ 

/ 

Dr.  J.  E.  Blaine. 


Dr.  M.  R.  Keeley. 


Dr.   R.  Broughton. 


Dr.  W.   M.   Brown. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


133 


and  save  their  impossibilities.  There  is 
not  a  home  in  which  its  work  dwells 
that  is  not  blessed,  nor  a  community 
that  is  not  better  for  its  coming.  Our 
government  recognizes  in  it  a  protec- 
tion for  its  wards,  as  well  as  a  saving  of 
its  wealth.  Our  veterans  hail  it  as  the 
joy  of  their  declining  days.  States  have 
adopted  it  as  a  corrective,  if  not  a  sani- 
tary, measure  ;  and  what  speaks  vol- 
umes for  it  is  that  wherever  it  has  been 
introduced  it  has  never  failed  in  ac- 
complishing all  that  is  claimed  for  it. 

As  in  all  things  that  are  directed  by 
human  thought  or  controlled  by  human 
judgment,  we  expect  failures  ;  yet,  in 
this  they  are  not  in  the  cure,  but  in  the 
patient  to  maintain  same.  This  asser- 
tion has  been  proven  in  hundreds  of 
cases  of  alleged  failures,  that  upon  ex- 
amination the  patient  himself  admitted 
that  it  was  his  own  fault  and  that  he 
returned  to  the  use  of  alcoholic  liquors 
or  the  drugs,  not  because  he  felt  he 
needed  them  or  even  craved  them,  but 
from  a  foolish  whim  to  test  his  cure,  to 
see  what  effect  they  would  have  upon 
him,  or  to  quiet  the  banterings  of  fool- 
ish friends  and  prove  to  them  that  he 
had  not  lost  his  manhood  in  taking  the 
treatment,  that  he  was  still  a  free  moral 
agent,  etc.,  and  could  now  indulge  or 
let  it  alone  as  he  saw  tit,  with  the  inev- 
itable result—failure— forgetting  that 
the  wood,  once  charred,  will  take  the 
tlame  quicker  than  that  unburned.  The 
treatment,  again,  is  not  intended  to 
make  men — only  cure  them.  No  sys- 
tem of  medication  thus  far  discovered 
can  put  a  heart  or  soul  or  brains  into  a 
man.  This  remedy  can  and  does  cure 
the  physical  man  of  his  physical  malady 
and  leaves  him  normal— as  he  was  be- 
fore he  ever  indulged— barring  added 
age  and  mjuries  brought  on  through 
his  excesses.  If  the  patient  is  naturally 
a  mental  or  moral  failure,  this  treat- 


ment cannot  correct  this,  and  should 
not  be  held  responsible  if  such  a  man 
acts  out  his  nature  and  lives  out  his 
narrow  or  vicious  life.  In  the  loss  of 
such,  the  world  loses  nothing,  but  gains 
everything.  When  a  man  takes  this 
cure  he  owes  it  the  same  allegiance  that 
he  does  the  Church  or  State.  He  must 
obey  and  follow  the  lessons,  teachings, 
principles  and  laws  if  he  would  be  a 
sober  man,  a  consistent  churchman  and 
a  good  citizen.  This  treatment  cures 
beyond  a  question,  yet  a  man  can  drink 
again,  even  as  he  can  sin  again  after 
Divine  forgiveness.  He  is  still  a  free 
agent  to  commit  physical  and  moral 
suicide  if  he  so  wills  ;  but  the  act  must 
be  deliberate  and  premeditated. 

It  is  eminently  fair  to  judge  a  work 
by  its  returns  for  good  or  evil.  The 
records  of  the  different  Keeley  Insti- 
tutes show  that  in  the  flf te  en  years  last 
past  there  have  been  225,000  of  our  fel- 
low citizens  who  have  admitted  their 
inability  to  cope  with  the  narcotic  or 
alcoholic  diseases,  or  appetites,  or 
whatever  you  choose  to  call  them  ;  that 
they  were  enslaved  by  chains  that  all 
earthly  help  had  failed  to  sunder.  Dr. 
Keeley's  discovery  dawned  upon  the 
world  as  a  bow  of  promise  ;  as  a  forlorn 
hope  they  reached  out  to  it  and  found 
relief.  What  if  a  small  percent  have 
again  fallen  V  They  are  only  sufficient 
in  number  to  prove  the  general  rule  of 
cure.  The  very  large  proportion  who 
are  permanently  cured  are  good,  earnest 
men,  bread-winners  to  our  nation,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  hopes  and  loves  and 
lives  that  are  twined  around  theirs,  of 
souls  that  it  has  made  possible  to  save. 
Does  this  mean  nothing  to  the  world 
from  the  economist's  view?  Does  it 
mean  nothing  to  the  Church  and  State? 
There  is  food  for  thought  here.  The 
structure  that  is  being  reared  is  to  make 
men  stronger  physically,  better  mental- 


134 


HISTORY  OF  DWiGIIT,  ILLI^NOIS. 


ly  and  purer  morally.  The  question  is 
not,  are  we  working  according  to  any 
faith  ;  but  are  we  saving  men  V  If  this 
treatment  had  saved  but  one  of  the  vast 
number  who  have  sought  it,  the  world 
would  be  the  better  for  its  discovery. 

There  is  another  fact  that  marks  the 
growth  and  success  of  this  treatment 
and  of  these  remedies  as  something 
phenomenal,  and  it  is  this  :  Since  its 
work  has  proven  its  worth,  and  within  the 
five  years  last  past,  hundreds  of  different 
so-called  liquor  and  opium  "cures"'  have 
sprung  into  life  that  were  never  heard 
of,  or  in  fact  existed,  before  ;  yet  claim- 
ing to  be  "the  original  Gold  Cure,"  or 
an  "improvement  on  the  Keeley  Cure," 
or  "the  Bi-Chloride  of  Gold  Cure,"  or 
some  such  bastard  growth  that  must 
add  to  their  illegitimacy,  and  to  draw 
the  attention  of  their  dupes  to  the  words 
"Gold  Cure"  or  "Dwight"  or  "Keeley," 
names  that  have  become  household 
words  the  world  over,  synonyms  of  sal- 
vation in  thousands  of  homes,  the 
crowning  halo  of  a  student's  life.  What 
a  prostitution  of  sacred  things  to  serve 
a  damnable  purpose,  giving  poison  in 
the  sacred  chalice  to  the  kneeling  peni- 
tent at  the  altar  of  his  hopes.  "What 
lesson  can  we  draw  from  this  ?  That 
the  Keeley  work  and  the  Keeley  reme- 
dies are  genuine  and  all  that  is  claimed 
for  them.  Imitations  are  not  copied  ; 
you  never  heard  of  a  copying  after  or 
imitation  of  one  of  these  imitators,  for 
each  recognizes  in  the  other  as  great  a 
fraud  as  in  itself,  and  yet  while  they 
may  liourish  for  a  few  days,  or  months 
at  most,  their  fate  always  will  be  as  it 


always  has  been,  sure  and  certain,  their 
masks  are  being  daily  torn  away  and 
the  world  is  beginning  to  see  them  and 
know  them  in  their  true  light.  Not  so 
with  the  Keeley  work.  For  fifteen  years 
has  it  stood  the  test  of  trial,  experiment, 
sarcasm,  vituperation  and  criticism.  It 
has  built  up  the  wealth  of  the  land  in 
money  and  men  ;  it  gives  value  received 
in  that  you  could  not  purchase  from 
the  patient  for  thousands  of  dollars 
what  he  pays  one  hundred  for  ;  it  has 
made  numberless  happy  homes  through- 
out our  land,  exerting  an  inrtuence 
in  harmony  with  all  temperance  or- 
ganizations and  churches,  working  for 
the  greater  good  to  humanity.  It  places 
men  in  physical  condition  to  be  morally 
better  ;  it  turns  the  fiow  of  money  from 
the  saloon  till  into  the  home  ;  it  gives 
strength  to  the  weak,  courage  to  the 
disheartened,  hope  to  the  hopeless.  It 
has  not  only  made  two  blades  of  grass 
to  grow  where  was  only  one,  but  it  has 
made  the  barren  desert  of  thousands  of 
lives  to  blossom  as  the  rose. 

The  gentlemen  who  form  the  com- 
pany known  as  The  Leslie  E.  Keeley 
Co.,  Dr.  Leslie  E.  Keeley,  Major 
C.  J.  Judd  and  Mr.  J.  R.  Oughton,  are 
all  old  residents  of  Dwight,  and  are  a 
prominent  part  of  its  history,  both  be- 
fore and  after  the  discovery  and  remar- 
kable success  financially  and  for  man- 
kind.   There  has  been  no  perceptible 

change  in  these  men,  except  that  they 
are  busier,  but  socially  they  are  just  the 
same  genial  and  interesting  compan- 
ions, and  the  old  "History  of  Dwight" 
will  have  no  more  interested  readers 
than  they. 


H.    A.    Kenyon. 


m]h'... 


A.    C.    Lonergan,    M.    D. 


Leonard    Hewlett. 


HISTORY  OF  D WIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


135 


Personal  Recollections, 


BY  GEORGE  T.   CONANT. 


STARTING  FOR  THE  WEST. 


Jklarch  20, 1854,  in  the  town  of  Roch- 
ester, Lorain  county,  Ohio,  at  the  home 
of  John  Conant,  a  council  was  held  by 
.James  Lynch,  Geo.  T.  Conant  and 
Henry  Conant,  agreeing  to  go  in  com- 
pany to  the  West  and  settle  on  the  wild 
prairie  of  Illinois.  Having  but  a  scant 
knowledge  of  these  prairies  of  the  West 
some  wild  speculations  were  made  as  to 
how  the  prairie  looked.  Lynch,  who 
was  fresh  from  the  "ould  sod,"'  sug- 
gested, if  there  were  no  stumps, 
who  -'tuck"  them  out?  Did  the  Indians 
pull  them  V  "Shure"  what  would  they 
do  that  for?  And  were  there  any 
fences,  or  the  "loike"?  "Be  gob, 
George,"  says  Lynch,  "are  there  any 
houses  on  thepraires,  or  do  they  live  in 
holes  in  the  ground  T  And,  so,  many 
were  the  questions  asked  by  one  or  the 
other  of  the  Gallant  Three,  who  de- 
cided to  start  the  next  week  for  the 
AVest,  if  preparations  could  be  com- 
pleted. Each  one  must  have  a  good 
rifle  for  protection  in  that  wild  country, 
for  killing  game  on  which  to  live,  if 
they  must,  until  a  crop  was  raised,  as 
they  expected  to  be  real  farmer  boys. 

The  mother  of  the  Conant  boys  sug- 
gested, "that  we  take  with  us  some 
sweet  corn,  lettuce  and  beets,"  and  ihe 
father  said,  "you  had  better  take  some 
pumpkin  seed  and  beans."  Thus  you 
see  he  remembered  his  old  New  J]iigland 
home— pumpkin  pie  and  bean  s()U[i. 


Everything  having  been  planned  and 
arranged,  the  route  laid  out  and  a  letter 
written  to  Mrs.  Cutler,  a  sister  of  two 
of  the  boys  who  lived  in  Grundy  county, 
111.,  and  whose  place  is  now  occupied  by 
Mr.  Louis  Zauble,  in  Goodfarm,  we 
started.  This  was  our  point  of  destin- 
ation. So,  on  the  5th  of  April  we  put 
our  traps  in  a  lumber  wagon  and  drove 
twelve  miles  to  the  nearest  railroad. 
After  waiting  five  hours  the  train  came 
in  sight,  and  we  were  told  to  "hurry  on 
board,"  for  they  would  not  stop  but  a 
minute.  Well,  we  got  off  safely  and 
landed  in  Toledo  sometime  between 
midnight  and  morning,  tinding  the  train 
for  Chicago  had  gone,  and  that  we  must 
wait  until  afternoon  for  a  train.  Such 
waiting  three  green  boys  never  saw  ! 
liut  time  passed  and  we  finally  got 
started  again.  The  next  day  at  dark 
we  landed  in  Chicago. 

After  tramping  for  a  time  we  found 
a  tavern,  not  a  hotel  as  now,  where  we 
stayed  over  night.  At  10  o'clock  the 
next  day  we  boarded  the  Rock  Island 
train  for  Morris,  at  which  place  we 
landed  safe  and  sound  and  were  told  the 
best  place  to  stay  was  a  tavern  down  on 
the  canal,  kept  by  Landlord  Prindell,  a 
very  talkative  individual,  who  found 
out  all  about  us  as  fast  as  he  could. 
Lynch  remarked  :  "He  must  be  a  rela- 
tive he  is  so  interested  in  us."  And  he 
knew  everybody  in  the  county,   where 


13(5 


HISTORY  OF  DAVIGIIT,  ILLI^'OIS. 


they  came  from  and  what  they  expected 
to  do,  and  I  guess  he  got  the  same  from 
us,  for  we  spoke  of  going  on  that  night. 
"Oh  I"  says  the  landlord,  ''that  would  be 
impossible  ;  you  would  get  lost,  for  to 
get  across  the  river  you  would  not  know 
which  path  to  take,  and  besides  we 
should  stay  and  hear  a  woman  lecture, 
"one  of  the  smartest  in  the  state." 

I  thought,  perhaps,  the  hotel  bill  was 
what  he  wanted,  but  as  he  offered  to 
furnish  us  tickets  for  the  lecture  we 
concluded  to  stay,  finding  the  name  of 
the  lecturer  to  be  Mrs.  H.  M.  T.  Cutler, 
our  sister,  whom  I  had  not  seen  for  six 
years,  but  said  nothing  to  Mr.  Prindell. 
He  was  so  excited  over  the  lecture,  and 
having  strangers  to  escort,  stopping  to 
introduce  his  young  men  to  two  or  three 
who  were  a  trifle  late,  the  lecture  was 
just  beginning  as  we  went  in,  and  as 
all  the  back  seats  were  taken,  we  went 
to  the  front,  but  were  not  given  time  to 
take  our  seats  before  the  lecturer  got  in 
something  not  in  the  program,  for  we 
got  a  free  introduction  to  all  in  the 
house,  even  the  landlord  had  to  shake 
hands  with  his  guests.  The  lecture 
went  on,  but  I  heard  some  remark,  "It 
wan't  as  good  as  last  night."  Well, 
all  things  have  an  ending  and  so  did  that 
evening  and  night. 

Early  the  next  morning  leaving  our 
belongings,  except  rifles  and  a  few 
traps,  we  started  for  the  south  part  of 
the  county,  twenty  miles  away.  We 
were  to  inquire  for  a  man  by  the  name 
of  Saltmarsh,  after  going  a  few  miles. 
We  tramped  on  and  on.  Lynch  said  : 
"We  had  gone  ten  good  Irish  miles, 
shure,  let  the  distance  be  what  it  is,  in 
this  bare-headed  country." 

Then  we  tried  our  best  to  remember 
the  name  we  were  to  inquire  for,  but 
with  no  amount  of  thinking  could  we 
recall  the  name,  but  shortly  we  came  to 
a    shanty   house,   and  proposed  we  in- 


quire and  see  if  we  could  iind  out  any- 
thing, but  as  we  turned  up  to  the  house 
a  man  came  out.  Soon  as  he  turned 
toward  us  Lynch  whispered,  "George, 
his  nose  is  smashed,  shure ;  he's  the 
man  we  could  not  think  of."  And  he 
was  correct  in  his  guess . 

We  received  all  the  information  nec- 
essary, got  a  drink  of  water,  devoured 
our  lunch,  and  after  exchanging  stories 
with  Saltmarsh,  started  on,  and  went 
more  than  ten  .of  those  Irish  miles,  be- 
ginning to  wonder  where  we  should  stay 
that  night.  But  as  we  skirted  the  tim- 
ber along  the  river  Mazon,  we  heard  the 
noise  of  some  one  pounding.  We  halted, 
then  went  a  short  distance  into  the 
wood.  There  we  found  a  man  shaving 
shingles  for  a  house.  He  said  he  was 
going  to  build  down  at  the  new  station 
in  Livingston  county.  That  man  was 
Mr.  W^est,  who  built  a  house  In  Dwight 
and  lived  in  it  so  many  years.  He  told 
us  where  to  go,  and  went  a  short  dis- 
tance to  point  ovit  Mr.  Cutlers  house, 
and  said  to  us  :  "Right  over  there  lives 
Eber  Stevens,  and  next  his  brother 
Erastus,"  and  also  said  '"you  have  got 
almost  done  •  your  tramp  for  to-day. 
How  far  have  you  comeV"'  "Morris." 
"■'vhy,"  he  said,  "that  isour  postortice." 
"Be  gorry,"  says  Lynch,  "I  don't  want 
any  letter  if  I  have  to  go  after  it." 

Finally  we  landed  at  the  Cutler  man- 
sion, three  tired  and  homesick  boys. 
The  next  morning  at  sunrise  from  this 
mansion  we  beheld  the  great  ocean 
prairies  of  Illinois  for  the  first  time, 
and  as  a  "quill"  of  the  time  has  poetized. 

"When  lirst  the  vill;i;ie  1),  was  tlioiiglit, 
Thii  frieuds  of  1>.  some  otliers  fouglit, 
To  give  a  little  name  and  birth 
To  homes  of  clay  and  joyous  mirth. 

This  setlled,  and  a  sii;n  tliey  i)laced 
To  ttnide  the  weary  wanderer  to  rest ; 
A  hickory  pole  of  twenty-two  feet, 
A  rusty  pail  did  j;racefidly  o'erlea])." 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLI:N0IS. 


137 


BY   Y\.  ^.   Kl>I"SYll.RliD. 


The  period  of  time  covered  by  this 
sketch  begins  in  September,  1860. 
Dwight  was  then  a  small  station  on  the 
C.  &  A.  railroad.  That  artery  of  com- 
merce had  then,  for  some  years,  been 
pulsating  regularly  between  Chicago 
and  St.  Louis.  The  spire  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church  (now  the  Danish  M.  E.) 
and  the  smoke  from  the  iron  chimney 
of  the  stone  mill  could  be  seen  from  a 
long  distance,  and  the  shade  trees  not 
being  grown,  the  village  itself  was  also 
visible  far  across  the  naked  prairie. 
Several  farms  near  by  were  occupied, 
yet  in  some  directions  the  prairie  was 
open  to  the  village  streets.  In  nearly 
all  directions  the  houses  of  settlers 
could  be  seen,  but  there  were  wide 
stretches  of  open  country  between. 
From'  the  tops  of  the  swells  of  the  prai- 
rie, in  clear  weather  one  could  always 
see  a  human  habitation,  but  on  the 
lower  lands  would  sometimes  travel 
miles  seeing  none.  In  the  spring  he 
would  often  see  acres  purple  with  wild 
violets  or  spider  lilies,  or  blushing  with 
wild  roses  ;  while  in  autumn  nearly  the 
whole  landscape  would  be  aglovv  with 
a  variety  of  yellow  flowers,  in  many  in- 
stances the  stems  rising  eight  or  ten 
feet.  Beautiful,  indeed,  was  the  wild 
prairie  in  summer.  Imagine  yourself 
out  on  a  treeless  expanse,  with  few 
signs  of  human  occupation  anywhere, 
but  a  seemingly  measureless  sea  of  ver- 
dure stretching  away  in  all  directions, 
sometimes  deer  in  twos  or  threes  feeding 
quietly  or  hurrying  away  at  your  ap- 
proach, with  occasionally  grouse  or 
wild  ducks  springing  almost  from  your 
horse's  feet,  and  you  will  have  an  im- 
perfect idea  of  what  might  be  seen  in 
the  vicinity  of  Dwight  in  18t)0.    But  the 


first  severe  frost  changed  all  this  sud- 
denly and  completely.  The  landscape 
put  on  a  dull,  monotonous  hue  of  dead 
vegetation.  Then  the  hunter  would  get 
in  his  work.  During  the  day  the  (Jeer 
lies  close  in  his  covert,  usually  in  the 
coarse  grass  around  the  sloughs.  To 
find  him  the  hunter  would  stick  a  match 
in  the  grass  to  windward  of  him,  and 
going  himself  to  leeward  of  the  slough 
be  ready  to  take  the  deer  when  the  fire 
drove  him  up.  If  one  had  no  property 
in  danger  the  prairie  fires  were  very 
beautiful. 

About  3  or  4  o'clock  one  afternoon  in 
the  fall  of  1861  a  fire  was  started  near 
the  middle  of  the  line  which  bounds 
Dwight  and  Union  townships.  A  fair 
breeze  was  blowing  from  a  little  north 
of  west.  When  a  fire  was  started  at  a 
single  point  it  speedily  took  the  form  of 
a  capital  letter  V  with  its  point  for- 
ward, the  side  fires  burning  more  slowly. 
The  point  of  this  fire  drove  across  the 
middle  of  section  8  of  the  town  of 
Broughton. 

It  passed  about  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  north  of  my  house.  "With  the 
snapping  and  crackling  and  hissing  of 
burning  stems  and  weeds,  mingled  with 
the  roar  of  fiame,  it  sounded  very  like 
the  roar  of  a  long  train  of  cars.  The 
wind  subsided  at  evening,  and  after 
dark  there  were  two  nearly  parallel 
chains  of  side  fire,  each  nearly  ten  miles 
long,  the  riames  leaping  two  to  six  feet 
high  on  the  uplands  and  of  coxirse 
higher  in  the  lowlands  where  the  grass 
was  ranker.  In  the  morning  the  whole 
wide  prairie  lay  blackened  and  crisp 
under  the  tread  of  the  fire  fiend.  In 
winter  when  the  shelterless  prairie  was 
covered  with    snow   and  ice  it  wore  a 


138 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


look  of  bleakness  and  desolation  no 
where  else  to  be  found  this  side  the 
arctic  zone, 

I  settled  in  Broughton  in  April,  IStU- 
There  were  inconveniences  of  course, 
but  for  the  young,  the  healthy  and  the 
strong  I  could  hardly  say  hardships. 
Youth  and  health  cannot  be  unhappy 
long  at  a  time.  The  breaking  out  of 
the  war  increased  the  inconveniences 
greatly.  Take  for  instance  the  matter 
of  fuel.  The  issues  of  western  banks 
(west  of  Ohio)  were  largely  secured  by 
bonds  of  the  southwestern  states  which 
went  into  rebellion.  Of  course  western 
money  became  worthless  and  went  out 
of  use.  In  February,  1862,  I  drew  a 
load  of  ear  corn  into  Dwight,  and  could 
not  get  a  cent  of  money  for  it.  I  could 
get  \2}4  cents  per  bushel  in  dry  goods, 
groceries  or  lumber,  but  that  was  not 
fuel  and  coal  was  cash.  One  Thursday 
morning,  long  before  day,  a  neighbor 
and  myself  started  for  Streator.  Xo, 
Streator  was  not  then  thovight  of,  but 
for  the  coal  banks  at  the  Vermillion 
river.  There  were  no  shafts  sunk  at 
that  time,  but  the  coal  was  mined  from 
seams  which  cropped  out  from  the 
banks  of  the  river  and  the  creeks  adja- 
cent. We  took  plethoric  lunch  baskets, 
plenty  of  horse-feed  and  blankets,  for 
we  expected  to  be  gone  two  days.  AVe 
also  took  an  ax  and  matches  and  some 
extra  sacks  of  corn,  but  no  money. 
Arriving  at  the  river,  we  found,  after 
gome  time,  a  miner  who  wanted  our 
corn  to  feed  the  mules  which  he  used 
about  the  mine.  By  that  barter  we 
each  got  a  little  more  than  half  a 
wagon-boxful  of  "slack."  The  miner 
dealt  fairly  with  us  ;  he  brought  out  of 
the  mine  an  excellent  quality  of  slack. 
It  was  nightfall  when  we  reached  the 
edge  of  the  timber.  AVe  had  no  money 
to  pay  a  farmer  for  a  bed  and  stable- 
room  so  we  turned  into  athick  grove  of 


oaks  where  we  found  a  large  log,  be- 
side which  we  built  a  fire,  fed  our 
horses,  ate  our  suppers  and  spread  our 
blankets.  There  were  plenty  of  stars, 
and  it  was  freezing  some,  but  there  was 
an  ominous  whispering  in  the  tree  tops. 
AA'^ith  the  first  light  we  w>  re  on  the  road, 
there  was  a  brisk,  chilly  wind  from  the 
south  and  the  sky  was  angry.  A  very 
few  miles  brought  us  to  the  prairie 
which  stretched,  almost  without  a 
house,  nearly  to  the  Alazon  timber,  two 
miles  west  of  Dwight. 

Soon  the  rain  began  to  fall,  our  ice 
bridges  became  treacherous  and  our 
progress  was  slow.  By  the  time  we 
reached  the  school-house  near  the 
Mazon  timber,  it  was  very  dark,  and, 
driven  by  the  south  wind,  very  large 
snow  Hakes,  feathery  and  soft,  were  fall- 
ing thick  and  fast.  AVe  drove  our  teams 
close  in  the  lee  of  the  school-house,  fed 
them  well  and  put  all  the  blankets  on 
them  and  went  into  the  house.  The 
room  was  warm,  for  there  had  been 
school  and  there  was  still  fire  in  the 
stove.  AVe  filled  the  stove  with  slack 
and  soon  had  it  red.  AVe  lay  down  on 
the  seats  in  our  wet  clothes  and  waited 
for  daylight. 

In  the  morning  the  sun  shone  bright- 
ly and  it  was  still  thawing  though  the 
wind  was  very  chilly  and  our  clothes 
were  damp.  The  ice  bridges  were  badly 
rotted  and  the  work  was  severe  on  the 
teams.  A  few  miles  southeast  of  the 
village  we  came  to  what  was  then  called 
the  Koadnight  slough,  a  shallow  stream 
ten  or  fifteen  rods  wide.  AVe  broke  a 
roadway  through  the  ice,  doubled  teams 
and  went  through  nicely  with  the  first 
wagon.  Returning  ft)r  the  second  load 
we  perpetrated  the  folly  of  putting  the 
younger  and  sillier  team  in  the  lead. 
About  mid-stream  i  hey  refused  to  go 
further,  began  to  "act  up,"  got  tangled 
in  their  harness  and  soon  all  four  horses 


Scene  in  Keeley  Traetment  Hall 


Keefey  League. 

{Forn]er  Club  Mouse. ) 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


139 


were  down  at  once  in  about  two  and  a 
half  feet  of  water.  There  were  some 
very  wet  and  chilly  men  and  horses  be- 
fore Ave  got  out  of  tliat  scrape.  "We  ar- 
rived at  home  about  4  p.  m.  Saturday. 

In  the  fall  when  the  roads  were  dry, 
the  weather  cool  and  the  moon  near  its 
"full,"  several  neighbors  would  go  to- 
gether for  coal  and  have  a  jolly  time 
even  if  they  did  "camp  out," 

In  September  of  1801  three  gentlemen, 
one  of  them  a  clergyman  of  my  ac- 
quaintance from  La  Salle  county,  the 
other  two  young  friends  of  his  from 
"down  east,"  drove  up  to  my  door  and 
asked  if  there  were  any  deer  ni  the  vi- 
cinity, saying  they  had  been  told  there 
were,  but  they  had  not  seen  one  and 
they  had  been  hunting  a  week.  It  was 
late  in  the  afternoon  and  I  told  them  to 
come  the  next  morning  at  8  o'clock  and 
I  thought  I  could  gratify  them  with  the 
sight  of  one  or  two.  They  came  at  the 
hour  appointed,  and  I  mounted  one  of 
my  horses  and  led  the  way.  Less  than 
a  mile  from  my  house  and  a  short  dis- 
tance northeast  from  where  the  village 
of  Emington  now  stands,  I  dropped 
back  a  little  and  told  them  to  look  sharp 
for  they  might  start  one  almost  any 
minute.  Not  many  rods  further  a  doe 
sprang  up  within  a  very  few  feet  of 
their  off  fore  wheel,  dashed  ahead  a 
few  bounds  and  started  up  a  second 
one.  They  together  ran  four  or  five 
rods  to  the  right  and  put  up  a  third, 
and  the  three  went  east.  "There's 
your  deer,  gentlemen,"  I  shouted.  Not 
a  shot  was  fired,  and  in  a  very  few  min- 
utes we  could  see  the  graceful,  beauti- 
ful creatures  tossing  their  white  flags  a 
couple  of  miles  away. 

Deer  soon  became  scarce,  but  ducks, 
geese  and  "sand  hiU"  cranes  tarried 
longer,  often  in  great  multitudes.  The 
latter  were  fine  game,  keen-eyed  and 
warv  as  the  wild  deer  himself. 


Some  of  them  spent  the  summers  here 
in  solitary  pairs,  nesting  (like  the  mal- 
lard duck)  in  the  tall  grass  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  ponds.  They  got  their  food 
mainly  by  wading  in  the  ponds  and 
shallow  streams.  When  the  corn  was 
nearly  ripe  they  would  frequent  the 
fields,  and  were  often  very  destructive, 
especially  in  the  '"sod  corn."  About 
3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  a  solitary 
flock  of  perhaps  half  a  dozen  would  ap- 
pear slowly  fanning  the  air  with  their 
solemn  wings,  their  long  necks  thrust 
straight  out  ahead,  and  their  equally 
long  legs  straight  out  behind.  Select- 
ing some  part  of  the  cornfield  most  re- 
mote from  buildings,  they  would  ap- 
proach perhaps  within  twenty  rods, 
slowly  settle  down  and  when  about 
twenty-five  feet  from  the  ground  their 
heads  would  go  up  and  their  feet  down 
and  they  would  let  themselves  down 
easily  to  the  ground.  Their  motions 
were  awkward,  certainly,  but  seemed 
to  answer  their  purposes  very  well. 
Standing  perfectly  still  their  first  busi- 
ness was  to  reconnoiter ;  they  looked 
keenly  in  all  directions,  especially  into 
the  field  for  some  lurking  enemy.  Very 
slowly  they  walked  back  and  forth 
along  the  edge  of  the  field,  gradually 
nearing  it,  till  they  reached  it,  then 
they  stripped  down  the  husks  in  strings 
and  their  strong  beaks  shelled  off  the 
grains  of  corn  with  little  ditficulty.  But 
before  this  time  they  were  very  likely 
to  be  joined  by  other  flocks  which  came 
sailing  over.  If  the  first  ones  were  in 
or  near  the  grain  the  newcomers  would 
omit  the  preliminary  examination  and 
alight  \Aith  them. 

Jiy  4  o'clock  there  were  often  several 
flocks  flying  in  the  vicinity,  and  they 
would  alight  directly  in  the  field  with 
the  ones  already  feeding  Even  when 
thus  feeding  it  wasdiflicult  to  approach 
them  near  enough  to  get  a  shot.    They 


140 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


stood  lip  so  tall,  and  \\  ere  so  suspicious 
and  ever  alert  one  must  be  adroit  to 
succeed.  And,  besides,  their  feathers 
were  very  strong  and  quite  a  defense 
against  ordinary  sized  shot.  Their 
heads  w  ere  perhaps  their  most  vulnera 
ble  part,  but  they  v\  ere  tenacious  of  life. 
A  good  way  to  get  one  shot  was  to  go 
about  2  o'clock  into  a  field  they  fre- 
quented and  build  an  ambush  by  thrust 
ing  cornstalks  into  the  ground  very 
near  together  and  lie  very  still  when 
you  sa  V  the  first  flock  coming.  To  lie 
in  such  a  place  and  see  a  fiock  of  tv\  enty 
coming  straight  for  you,  till  you  could 
see  the  glitter  of  their  eyes  not  five  rods 
a.vay,  then  rise,  and  while  the  air  is  full 
of  the  clamor  of  struggling  wings,  as 
they  turned,  rake  the  line.  You  might 
call  that  sport.  But  I  al «  ays  found  the 
"sport"  seriously  impaired  by  the 
thought  of  the  poor  things  which  were 
wounded  and  escaped.  If  a  wing  was 
broken  and  a  covert  was  near  the  bird 
must  be  secured  at  once  or  he  was  lost 
for  he  was  a  very  crafty  skulker.  In 
catching  him  one  needs  to  be  very  care- 
ful for  he  would  let  drive  that  long, 
sharp  bill  straight  for  the  eyes  of  his 
enemy.  One  must  grasp  him  by  the 
neck  and  break  it  at  once.  They  v\  ould 
w  eigh  from  eight  to  thirteen  pounds, 
and  in  the  fall  when  living  on  grain 
were  excellent  eating.  If  a  man  of  me- 
dium height  were  to  take  a  bird  of  av- 
erage size  by  the  feet  and  sling  him 
over  his  shoulder  its  beak  would  drag 
upon  the  ground.  In  the  spring  or  fall 
they  would  often  congregate  in  large 
numbers  upon  some  sunny  slope  and 
have  a  general  jubilee.  There,  very 
often  more  than  500  and  very  likely 
more  than  twice  that  number  in  a  sin- 
gle flock,  covering  in  lose  order,  per- 
haps, three  or  four  acres.  Suddenly  a 
few  would  spring  up  from  the  ground 
several  feet,  then  others  and  others.    At 


times  the  whole  fiock  would  be  in  vio. 
lent  agitation,  all  jumping,  flapping 
their  wings  and  shouting  at  once,  and 
the  tumult  could  be  heard  for  miles.  I 
never  knew  whether  those  occasions 
were  festive  or  political  in  their  nature, 
but  to  a  looker-on  some  of  the  exhibi- 
tions seemed  ludicrous.  But  as  much 
might  be  said  of  the  festivities  of  some 
other  bipeds. 

The  prairie  wolf  lingered  till  late  in 
the  seventies,  perhaps  in  some  localities 
even  later.  He  was  destructive  to 
poultry,  young  pigs  and  lambs,  but  I 
never  knew  of  his  injuring  a  human  be- 
ing. 

In  the  winter  of  IHtjO-Ol,  near  sun- 
down one  day,  a  wolf  struck  up  a  howl 
perhaps  forty  yards  from  my  door.  My 
wife,  who  was  in  the  yard,  mocked  him 
and  he  immediately  howled  again  and 
came  nearer,  she  replied  again  and  an- 
other wolf  turned  up  in  another  direc- 
tion and  she  mocked  iriM  ;  very  soon  a 
third  joined  in  and  they  made  quite  a 
chorus.  But  they  would  not  come 
nearer  than  twenty  rods,  and  my  shot 
gun  would  not  reach  them. 

One  winter  I  hung  a  piece  of  fresh 
beef  by  the  side  of  the  chamber  win- 
dow outside  to  keep  it  fresh  as  long  as 
as  we  might.  One  night,  soon  after,  I 
was  awakened  by  footsteps  breaking 
through  the  snow  crust.  I  stepped 
quietly  outside  and  around  the  corner 
of  the  house,  and  at  the  farther  corner 
I  saw  the  head  and  shoulders  of  a  wolf. 
My  gun  stood  just  behind  the  d()or,both 
barrels  loaded  with  buckshot.  When  J 
returned  with  it  he  was  disappearing  in 
the  cornfield  several  rods  away.  The 
night  was  moonless  and  cloudy,  but  1 
let  drive  both  barrels  at  the  black  spot 
in  the  cornstalks.  For  an  hour  or  more 
at  intervals  he  made  night  hideous.  In 
the  morning  I  could  easily  track  him  by 
his  blood  on  the  snow.    About  fifteen 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLI^JOIS. 


141 


rods  away  he  had  stopped  to  dress  his 
wounds.  He  bled  considerably.  I 
tracked  him  nearly  half  a  mile  and  then 
he  went  upon  the  prairie  where  the 
grass  was  burnt  otf  and  there  was  no 
snow  and  I  could  track  him  no  further. 
Perhaps  the  rattlesnake  was  about  as 
interesting  as  any  animate  thing  we 
had  to  deal  with.  It  was  spotted,  of  a 
dark  brown  color,  seldom  more  than 
thirty  inches  in  length,  capable  of  some 
very  quick  motions,  yet  a  slow  traveler 
and  terribly  armed.  AVe  never  knew 
when  or  where  to  look  for  him,  yet  we 
frequently  met  him.  Our  first  buildings 
were  usually  temporary  ones.  ]My  wife 
found  and  killed  a  rattlesnake  on  her 
pantry  tloor.  When  binding  grain  I 
took  one  up  with  the  bundle  in  my 
hands  A  neighbor  was  once  helping 
me  to  stack  hay.  While  I  drove  the 
load  to  the  stack  he  lay  down  upon  it, 
and  when  I  got  upon  the  stack  he  took 
up  a  small  forkful  and  there,  just  under 
it,  and  under  where  he  had  lain,  was  a 
very  tine,  large  one.  If  there  were  any 
in  the  fields  we  were  very  apt  to  find 
them  when  plowing.  In  the  spring  of 
18B2  I  was  plo.vingthe  "breaking"  of 
the  year  before.  The  day  w  as  vs  arm, 
my  boots  w  ere  burdensome  and  galled 
my  feet  so  badly  I  thre  jv  them  in  the 
shade  and  w  ent  barefoot.  It  v\  as  a  great 
improvement.  The  bottom  of  the  fur- 
ro  -v  v\  as  moist  and  cool  and  soft  as  vel- 
vet. There  v\  as  one  place  w  here  the 
gophers  and  ground  squirrels  had 
honeycombed  the  ground,  and  there  I 
heard  the  well  knoAU  alarm.  The  mid- 
dle horse  of  the  team  in  v\  alking  over 
him  had  disturbed  him,  and  there  he 
lay  in  no  amiable  mood,  not  more  than 
a  foot  from  my  bare  ankle  I  procured 
a  stick,  dispatched  him  and  v\  ent  on 
thinking  I  was  glad  that  one  was  out 
of  the  way.  The  very  next  furrow,  at 
about  the  same  place,  my  plow  dropped 


down  into  a  gopher's  run,  and  the  dirt 
came  rolling  over  the  top  of  the  mould- 
board  and  a  rattler  sung  out  loud  and 
distinct.  I  stopped  short  with  uplifted 
foot,  unvN illing  to  put  it  down  till  I 
should  see  where.  And  it  was  well, 
too,  for  it  would  have  fallen  upon  a 
splendid  fellow  nearly  as  large  as  my 
wrist  though  not  more  than  twenty 
inches  in  length.  I  became  suddenly 
reconciled  to  my  boots.  Of  course,  it 
w  as  a  standing  rule  to  kill  every  one  we 
found.  One  day  I  found  one  in  the 
grass  and  dared  not  take  my  eyes  off 
him  for  fear  I  should  lose  him.  What 
should  I  do?  I  had  no  stick  nor  gun. 
How  could  I  kill  him?  The  only  pos- 
sible thing  I  could  think  of  w  as  my 
pocket-knife.  I  lifted  my  boot  a  little 
side  wise  till  I  saw  his  head  just  at  the 
edge  of  the  sole.  I  took  my  knife  and 
cut  it  off.  It  was  convenient  and  ef- 
fectual, and  that  was  my  usual  method 
of  proceeding  afterward. 

The  early  summer  of  1863  was  full  of 
dark  and  gloomy  forebodings.  Grant 
had  long  been  hammering  away  at 
A'icksburg,  and  many  believed  he  was 
overmatched  and  must  retreat.  The 
scheme  of  a  Northwestern  Confederacy 
w  as  talked  of  some  a  hat  openly.  There 
■n  ere  known  to  be  sympathizers  w  ith  the 
rebellion  in  our  midst.  It  was  said 
there  w  as  a  lodge  of  a  secret  disloyal 
society  called  "Knights  of  the  Golden 
Circle"  in  Dwight.  There  were  whis- 
perings of  an  outbreak  in  Chicago,  and 
it  was  understood  thatthat  would  mean 
"business"  throughout  the  state.  A 
celebration  w  as  announced  for  July  4  at 
Dwight.  Things  looked  dark  indeed. 
Lee  was  at  Gettysburg,  a  great  battle 
was  in  progress  and  reports  of  the  re- 
sult were  conflicting.  New  York  was 
known  to  be  under  the  feet  of  a  dis- 
loyal mob.  Very  many  of  those  capa- 
ble of  bearing  arms  were  gone  with  the 


ri2 


HISTORY  OF  D WIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


129th  regiment  from  the  vicinity  of 
Dwight,  and  the  disloyal  element  very 
thinly  disguised  their  pleasure  at  the 
prospect  of  disaster  to  the  Union 
arms.  At  the  east  side  school  house  a 
speaker's  stand  was  erected,  shaded  by 
green  branches  brought  from  the  tim- 
ber. The  trees  in  the  yard  were  but  re- 
cently planted.  On  the  Fourth  the 
meeting  assembled  with  a  good  brass 
band  in  attendance.  The  day  was 
bright  and  pleasant.  I  do  not  remem- 
ber who  was  orator  or  president  or 
marshal,  but  one  thing  I  do  remember 
distinctly.  "When  the  orator  had  been 
speaking  some  time  a  disi^atch  was 
handed  him  which  he  immediately 
read  : 

"Lee  is  in  full  retreat  from  Gettys- 
burg.'' 

The  band  struck  up  a  patriotic  air, 
and  after  a  few  minutes,  the  speaker 
proceeded.  Soon  he  was  interrupted  by 
another  dispatch,  this  time  announcing 
that  there  was  no  doubt  Grant  that  day 
was  taking  his  dinner  in  Vicksburg.  I 
shall  not  try  to  describe  the  revulsion  of 
feeling.  The  band  played  the  Star- 
Spangled  Banner  and  every  loyal  heart 
responded.  With  many  the  news  was 
received  with  caution  and  allow^ance, 
as  being  "too  good  to  be  true." 

The  time  covered  by  this  sketch  can 
hardly  be  said  to  belong  to  the  days  of 
the  pioneer,  yet  the  conditions  which 
beset  the  settler  then,  were  very  differ- 
ent from  those  which  surround  the  citi- 
zen to-day.  The  furrow  of  the  break- 
ing plow,  shallow  and  smooth  as  it  was, 
formed  the  boundary  line  between  two 
mighty  epochs.  From  the  gleaming 
coulter  it  rose  in  a  long  and  graceful 
curve  and  fell  inverted  beside  the  plow- 
man's feet — a  new  leaf  turned  in  the 
history  of  this  state.  The  story  of  the 
generations  who  trod  these  virgin 
plains,   what  empires  they  reared  and 


defended,  how  they  lived,  where  they 
fought  and  when  they  died,  that  story 
will  never  be  read  because  it  was  never 
written. 

The  pioneers  are  all  gone,  the  early 
settlers  with  whitening  "lieads  ai-e  rap- 
idly following.  A  few  more  years  and 
their  labors,  their  methods,  their  diffi- 
culties, their  names  will  be  forgotten. 
But  their's  was  a  grand  work.  At  their 
coming  the  yells  of  contending  savages 
gave  place  to  the  laughter  and  shouts 
of  school  children  at  their  play.  Where 
they  heard  the  dismal  howl  of  the 
coyote,  we  hear  the  voice  of  Sabbath 
singing.  Their  footprints  were  the 
seeds  of  empire,  for,  under  the  starry 
flag  America  is  destined  by  the  force  of 
her  beneflcient  example  to  rule  the 
world. 

Uufurl  the  flag  and  lift  it  high. 

Tell  the  admiring  natiDiis  why 

It  is  the  hope  of  every  heart, 

The  pride  of  every  eye. 

From  cruel  Asia  ions  exiled, 
From  Afric's  desercs  parched  and  wild. 
From  Europe  huutea  and  pursued 
Into  the  new  world's  solicuda 
Behind  the  rami)artN  of  rhe  sea 
■    Foiuiiug,  despairing. 
Freedom  tinned  at  bay. 

Slie  took  her  bugle  from  lier  breast 
And  blew  a  long,  awakeniug  blast— 
If  HERE  none  answered,  'twas  her  last. 
Frem  rocky  slope  and  wooded  glen 
Sprang  forth  a  band  of  patriot  men  ; 
She  fired  tliem  with  undying  zeal  ; 
They  walled  her  round  with  bristling  steel, 
No  craven  heart,  no  nerveless  hand, 
Id  all  that  strong,  devoted  band. 
But  they  were  hardy,  true  and  brave 
As  e'er  to  kings  defiance  }.'ave. 
Or  struck  the  fetters  from  a  slave. 
And  loud  the  virgin  forests  rang 
Witli  answering  echoes  as  they  sang. 

The  (ioddess  looked  wliere  shone  on  liigli 
The  brightest  cluster  of  the  sky, 
And  saw  across  oppression's  night, 
The  crimson  streams  of  coming  light. 
New  courage  kindled  in  her  eyes- 
She  tore  the  vision  from  the  skies, 
And  cried  in  rapture  "Tins  shall  be 


f 

^^ 

1 

4^ 

Mw 

S.  T.  K.   P 


rime. 


Win.  G.    Dustin. 


Wm.    T.    Prime. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


143 


Hencefortn  the  ensign  of  the  free ; 

Beneath  its  folds  shall  freemen  stand 

For  liberty,  and  native  land  ; 

Nor  leaden  rain,  nor  iron  hail, 

Nor  shrieking  shot,  nor  screaming  shell, 

Nor  all  the  eugln'ry  of  hell 

Against  their  valor  shall  prevail." 

O,  patriots  hope  !    O,  freeman's  pride  ! 
In  many  a  conflict  torn  and  tried, 


In  blood  of  brave  hearts  sanctified. 
Float  on  !  float  on  with  ever  widening  sway. 
Spread  out  thy  fadeless  splendor  to  the  day. 
Till  every  tribe  its  own  tliy  stars  shall  call— 
Till  every  throne  shall  crumble— every  fetter  fall; 
Till  all  mankind  from  wasting  war  shall  cease, 
And  In  thy  sheltering  shadow   find  perpetual 
peace. 


BYS.T,  K.  PRIME. 


Why  dig  up  the  dead  past  V  Still  we 
all  do  it  in  many  ways.  One  of  the 
saddest  things  in  life  is  reading  old  let- 
ters. To  a  sensitive  nature  they  are 
simply  harrowing  and  are  nothing  but  dry 
leaves.  The  reminiscences  of  Dwight 
that  I  now  write  are  mostly  from  mem- 
ory. It  is  true  that  I  have  no  end  of 
"records'"  of  what  has  been  done  here 
in  this  beautiful  village,  and  who 
were  the  actors  and  the  different  parts 
they  have  played .  The  History  of  Dwight 
gives  you  that  in  all  its  details  and  I  am 
very  willing  to  go  down  to  posterity  wi^h 
the  part  in  which  I  have  played. 

Let  me  tell  you  of  one  of  my  first 
recollections.  It  was  of  "The  Dwight 
Flouring  Mill  Ball."  Are  you  aware 
of  the  fact  that  our  stone  mill 
was  erected  by  public  subscript- 
ions? Kichard  P.  Morgan  was  its 
founder  and  one  of  the  largest  con- 
tributors toward  its  erection.  We  (that 
was  the  handful  of  people  who  were 
then  here)  thought  that  it  would  be  a 
good  idea  to  give  a  ball  and  incite  all 
the  country  around  to  see  what  the 
founders  and  benefactors  of  Dwight  had 
done  to  help  them  develope  this  almost 
unoccupied  country.  This  was  our  first 
"oasis"  of  a  public  ciiaracter.  The  mill 
was  finished  in  the  spring.  Tliere  were 
no    sidewalks    here  and  we  generally 


tried  to  "keep  in  the  middle  of  the 
road."  Oh  what  a  wet  season  that 
spring  was.  Such  mud!  So  deep!  So 
sticky!  The  only  way  you  could  get 
around  at  all  was  in  a  box-wagon  or  a 
buck-board  In  those  days  that  was  a 
great  vehicle.  The  night  of  the  ball 
came  as  nights  do,  irrespective  of 
Aveather(!)— you  like  it  or  not.  Our 
roads  were  simply  impassable  for  pedes- 
trians. "The  managers"  of  the  ball 
were  in  despair.  A  supper  had  been 
ordered  at  the  "Cornell  House  "  Music 
from  Joliet.  We  expected  to  see  the 
farmers  pour  into  the  town.  The  only 
thing  that  did  pour  was  the  rain.  It 
was  simply  a  sea  of  mud.  We  reached 
the  mill  however.  The  people  came, 
but  not  "in  carriages."  AVe  "pulled 
up"  to  the  mill  in  double  box- wagon 
dra  \  n  by  four  horses.  The  band 
played  "Annte  Laurie."  The  grand 
march  was  led  by  Mr.  and  Mr^. 
R.  P.  Morgan.  The  dance  went  on 
un'il  midnight.  The  people  all  became 
acquainted  and  voted  that  this  was  "the 
best  time  they  had  ever  had  in  Dwight." 
They  told  the  truth  for  it  was  the  first 
entertainment  of  a  public  or  social 
character  ever  held  in  Dwight. 

DWKiirr   AGIUCULTUKAL   SOCIETY. 

The  next  green  spot  in  my  memory  of 
the  early  days  of  Dwight's  development 


144 


TILSTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


Avas  that  of  the  "Dwight  Agricultural 
Society."  Of  course  that  had  to  be 
green.  That  was  the  sole  object  of  the 
society  to  make  green  things  and  the 
more  we  could  induce  to  grow  with  our 
then  raw  and  crude  methods  the  better. 
The  most  of  us  that  belonged  to  it  were 
quite  green  ourselves.  Still  we  thought 
we  knew  it  all.  The  sequel  was  a  sad 
one.  We  were  strangers  to  our  callmg 
and  had  to  pay  very  dear  for  our  experi- 
ence. Still  I  would  not  have  missed 
those  Saturday  afternoons  m  the  old 
wooden  school  for  all  that  I  learned 
since  from  an  agricultural  standpoint. 
Henry  A.  Gardner  was  president  of  the 
society.  He  was  a  tall,  thin  man  with 
a  blue,  piercing  eye,  and  long  straight 
hair.  He  was  a  typical  pioneer  of  the 
west.  He  did  not  live  long  with 
us  or  mingle  much  with  the  people. 
Still  he  always  seemed  happy  upon  his 
farm  at  Oak  Lawn.  One  of  the  members 
of  the  society  was  Jacob  R.  Reese.  He 
was  a  great  worker,  an  odd  genius,  but 
withal  a  good  fellow.  He  lived  opposite 
the  "Gardner  Farm."  He  always  made 
farming  pay  for  he  would  not  spend  a 
dollar  unless  he  dug  it  out  of  the 
ground.  Reese  belonged  to  a  rich 
Philadelphia  family,  was  a  civil  en- 
gineer by  profession,  and  only  lingered 
with  us  for  a  few  years.  He  sought 
other  and  more  congenial  pastures 
which  were  more  to  his  tastes  and  tem- 
perament. JaredR.  Moss,  "Squire  Moss" 
as  he  was  generally  known,  was 
an  active  and  valuable  member.  He 
was  a  short,  thick-set  man,  and  lived 
where  "Bill"  Taylor  now  lives.  The 
'Squire  was  the  best  practical  farmer 
that  we  had  In  those  days.  His  crops 
were  always  good,  his  hogs  and  cattle 
were  always  fat  and  no  one  ever  seemed 
to  get  such  good  prices  for  his  "^tuff" 
as  Squire  Moss.  Very  few  of  us  remem- 
ber my  old  friend  and  neighbor,  Alfred 


H.  Pavison,  another  valuable  man  who 
never  failed  to  be  present  with  us.  He 
was  the  dearest  male  friend  I  ever  had_ 
We  went  to  school  together.  We  grew 
up  together.  We  parted  in  1 858.  The 
dear  fellow  followed  me  very  shortly 
(in  1860)  to  Dwight  and  bought  what  was 
known  as  the  "MottFarm."  Here  he 
lived  and  moved.  He  was  greatly  be- 
loved by  every  one  who  knew  him.  He 
was  naturally  a  very  delicate  man,  born 
and  reared  in  the  lap  of  luxury  the 
privations  and  wants  of  his  life  here 
came  very  hard  upon  him.  He  was  a 
model  citizen.  Honest,  upright,  a  typi- 
cal American  gentleman.  He  delighted 
in  the  improvement  and  cultivation  of 
the  soil  so  far  as  his  weak  frame  would 
permit.  I  shall  never  forget  "Pat 
Fuge."  He  was  a  man  of  great 
originality  of  character.  Full  of  bright 
Irish  wit.  It  was  no  trouble  for  him 
to  make  two  blades  of  grass  gro  a  where 
one  never  grew  before.  We  all  looked 
up  to  him  as  an  oracle.  When  he 
opened  his  mouth  and  spoke  we  all 
swallowed  his  utterances  without  the 
aid  of  any  fluids. 

Lewis  Kenyon  was  another  member. 
An  active,  energetic  and  a  useful  man  to 
us  in  those  days.  He  was  an  excellent 
talker  and  always  added  vim  and  had 
very  good  ideas  of  how  and  what  crops 
we  ought  to  grow.  Eugene  R.  Stevens 
belonged  in  those  days  to  what  the 
aborigines  called,  "city  farmers  "  If  he 
could  not  make  crops  grow  the  way  he 
wanted  them  to  it  was  not  for  want  of 
the  money  he  spent  for  labor,  machinery 
tools  and  fertilizers.  His  farm  ,  was 
always  in  good  order  and  everything 
around  him  bore  the  look  of  prosperity. 
"Capt.  Stevens"  was  a  character.  From 
one  of  the  oldest  and  best  families  in 
New  York  City,  he  literally  left 
all  of  his  household  gods  behind 
him,     came     AVest,     and     for    many 


HISTOUY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLII^OIS. 


145 


years  spent  his  money  like  water 
in  the  development  and  im  pro  vent  of 
this  now  one  of  the  most  fertile 
and  best  farming  areas  in  the  world. 
Modesty  prevents  me  telling  you 
who  was  the  secretary  of  the  Dwight 
Agricultural  Society,  but  take  pleas- 
ure in  chronicling  the  name  of  the 
assistant  secretary,  Edward  O'Neil. 
And  on  this  hangs  a  tale  which 
I  think  I  have  never  told  although 
some  of  these  reminiscences  may  prove 
to  be  1  ke  the  aroma  of  a  moss-covered 
bucket.  One  dark  stormy  December 
night  in  the  "<50's"  1  was  trying  to  keep 
warm  out  on  the  farm  with  coal  that 
had' been  hauled  twenty  miles.  In  those 
days  coal  was  a  luxury.  AVe  watched 
the  decrease  of  a  coal  pile  something 
akin  to  the  anxiety  of  a  man  who  is 
always  looking  for  something  he  never 
gets.  "Hauling  coal"  meant  not  going 
down  to  "(i.  Z.  Flagler's"  but  going 
"over  to  Streator."'  Sometimes  staying 
several  nights.  Broken  wagons,  knocked 
up  horses,  men  cross,  ugly  and  fatigued 
and  not  fit  for  work  for  two  days  after 
the  trip.  Often  we  could  not  go  at 
all  on  account  of  the  roads.  Then 
we  burned  corn-cobs  and  anything  we 
could  put  our  hands  upon,  liut  to  re- 
sume. Dark  night— coal  scarce— knock 
at  the  door.  "  v  ho  comes  there  V 
"Stranger."  "What  do  you  want?"' 
"Food  and  shelter."'— "Enter"— A  tall, 
gaunt,  young  man  with  pleasing  man- 
ners and  smiling  face  stood  before  me. 
The  story  he  told  was  substantially 
this:  "I  have  been  traveling  for  a  long 
time  in  search  of  work  but  as  yet  have 
not  found  it.  1  am  an  Irishman,  A 
medical  student  graduate  of  a  college 
in  London.  1  am  hungry,  houseless 
and  homeless.  I  could  not  refuse  him 
food  or  shelter.  In  the  morning  he  was 
anxious  to  work.  In  those  days  labor- 
ers   were  very  scarce,    I  soon  found, 


however,  that  he  was  unused  to  exposure 
or  the  hard  drudgery  of  the  farm.  But 
the  fellow  was  honest,  willing  and 
anxious  to  work  whatever  his  hand 
could  find  to  do.  This  he  did  to  my 
entire  satisfaction.  I  soon  discovered 
that  he  was  an  educated  man  and  it  was 
a  hard  job  to  know  what  to  do  with 
him.  In  those  days  I  wrote  more  or 
less  for  "The  Press"  and  he  gave  me 
very  valuable  assistance  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  my  work.  Poor  fellow,  he  went 
to  the  "war"  served  his  adopted  coun- 
try faithfully  and  died  from  the  effects 
of  disease  and  exposure  while  at  the 
"front."  The  minutes  of  the  Dwight 
Agricultural  Society  are  all  written  by 
Edward  O'Neil,  and  whenever  I  look 
over  them  they  are  among  some  of  my 
pleasantest  recollections  of  Dwight. 

Good  old  Robert  Thompson  was  also 
a  member  of  our  society.  What  a  sturdy, 
honest  farmer  he  was.  Always  active 
in  every  good  word  and  work  for  the  im- 
provement of  the  town,  v\  hat  a  to  v\  er  of 
strength  he  was  in  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  this  whole  county  never  had 
a  more  active  and  hard  working  mem- 
ber of  the  Democratic  party.  His  death 
was  a  severe  loss  to  this  whole  com- 
munity. 

Richard  P.  Morgan  needs  no  eulogy 
from  me,  was  here  from  the  found  »tion 
of  the  town  to  the  present  time.  Was 
there  ever  any  good  word  or  work  in 
which  he  v\  as  not  thoroughly  identi- 
fied? Morgan  always  took  a  very 
active  part  in  all  of  our  doings. 
I  ought  not  to  forget  the  name  of  Wm. 
P.  Chester,  another  member.  Poor  fel- 
low, he  died  young.  The  model  farmer, 
the  model  man  in  every  respect  of  this 
whole  region  at  that  time .  Look  at  the 
farm  he  made  and  what  a  property  he 
left  to  his  heirs.  Jesse  Slyder  was  in 
those  days  a  great  and  very  successful 
farmer.     He  sold   his  possessions   long 


146 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


ago  and  has  for  many  years  lived  and 
enjoyed  among  us  the  fruits  of  his  la- 
bors. I  also  recall  the  names  of  A.  B. 
Case  and  Robert  Young,  Both  labored 
with  us  in  the  cause  of  improvement 
for  our  country's  good.  The  largest 
proportion  of  the  names  I  have  but 


briefly  mentioned  have  gone  to  the  land 
of  their  fathers.  I  think  I  can  truth- 
fully say  that  all  the  members  of  the 
Dwight  Agricultural  Society  did  not 
live  in  vain  but  that  the  fruits  of  their 
labors  have  and  still  do  follow  them. 


BY.  W.  ^.  BRRDB\3^Y. 


The  early  settlers  of  Dwight  will  re- 
member the  singing  school  in  1859  and 
1860,  ably  conducted  by  O.  S.  West- 
cott,  generally  called  "Professor,"  a 
talented  and  well-educated  young  man 
from  Connecticut  or  Rhode  Island,  who 
also  taught  classics  and  mathematics  at 
the  frame  school  house  east  of  the  Ma- 
zon  bridge.  The  class  consisted  of 
grown  and  married  people  as  well  as 
young  folks.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  El- 
dredge,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Case  and  their 
daughter.  Major  Judd  and  the  Turner 
girls,  Mr.  Bradbury,  Mr.  J.  C.  Hetzel 
and  Dr.  Ilagerty  were  among  the  pu- 
pils. Case  &  Hagerty  at  that  time  had 
just  started  the  stone  grist  mill,  and  Dr. 
Hagerty  was  postmaster.  The  singing 
book  used  was  "The  Jubilee."  Miss 
Case,  a  handsome  and  brilliant  girl, 
with  a  strong  mezzo-soprano  voice  of 
great  purity,  became  quite  proficient. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eldridge  also  became  good 
singers,  the  lady  having  a  very  sweet 
soprano  voice.  Some  of  these  after- 
ward formed  the  choir  of  the  Presbyte- 
rian church,  then  under  the  pastorate 
of  the  Rev.  Young,  and  had  the  honor 
of  singing  at  the  morning  service  at- 
tended by  the  Prince  of  Wales  and  his 
suite  in  the  summer  of  18f)0,  when  Rev. 
Young  preached  the  sermon.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Eldridge  were  the  most  regular 
members  of  the  choir.    Mr.   Case,   Mr. 


Bradbury  and  Dr.  Hagerty  were  also 
members.  Mrs.  Graves  played  the  or- 
gan. A  glee  club  of  similar  composi- 
tion was  organized  under  Prof.  West- 
cott,  and  practiced  chiefly  at  the  house 
of  Mr.  Eldredge.  At  the  presidential 
contest  in  1860  they  did  much  of  the 
campaign  singing  on  the  Republican 
side,  being  all  members  of  that    party. 

At  that  time  also  a  semi-military  com- 
pany of  Republicans,  styled  "Wide- 
A wakes,"  and  ably  drilled  by  Mr.  Case. 
They  were  partially  uniformed,  carried 
torches  and  illuminated  the  streets  on 
dark  evenings,  with  brilliant  maneu- 
vers and  parades,  winding  up  on  one 
occasion  with  an  oyster  supper  at  Mr. 
Turners  boarding  house.  In  fact 
oyster  suppers,  with  palatable  "trim- 
mings" of  all  kinds,  were  frequent  oc- 
currences in  connection  with  gatherings 
and  exhibitions  in  those  picturesque 
and  happy  days,  as  Major  Judd  can  tes- 
tify. "The  Turners"  came  afterwards, 
when  Grant  was  first  elected. 

In  1859  or  18»)0  Mrs.  H.  M.  T.  Cutler, 
the  talented  sister  of  George  Conant, 
gave  a  series  of  well  attended  lectures 
on  Physiology,  illustrated  by  a  manni- 
kin,  showing  the  interior  of  the  human 
body. 

A  lyceum  or  literary  society  was 
formed  in  the  autumn  of  1859  or  18(50. 
This  was  started  and  fostered,  in  a  great 


Wiilard  S.  Brown. 

(Secretary  Keeley  League,) 


Senator  Shelby  M.  Cullom. 


Danish  M.  E.  Church. 

(Fornqerly  Presbyterian. ) 


Mickelson  Block. 

(Formerly  Parsons  Block. ) 


i 


IIISTOIIY  OF  DWIGHT,  ILLINOIS. 


147 


measure,  by  John  Eaton,  an  original, 
liumorous,  comic  story-telling  genius. 
He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  a  man 
of  good  executive  ability  in  many  di- 
rections. Meetings  were  held  in  the 
school  house,  speeches  were  made,  de- 
bates conducted,  essays  read  by  the 
members,  affording  instruction  and  en- 
tertainment to  a  promiscuous  audience. 

Not  far  from  this  time,  and  I  think 
in  connection  with  this  or  some  other 
literary  association,  "The  Lightning 
Bug"  appeared.  This  was  a  manu- 
script periodical  containing  contribu- 
tions from  members  on  various  subjects. 
Its  first  editor  was  Miss  Sarah  A.  Sny- 
der, now  of  Streator,  and  I  think  Mr. 
AV.  II.  Bradbury  had  charge  of  it  after- 
wards. At  any  rate,  these  parties,  es- 
pecially Miss  Snyder,  contributed,  con- 
tributed largely  in  prose  and  verse  and 
made  the  paper  interesting  and  spicy. 
It  was  read  and  circulated  at  the 
weekly  meetings. 

There  was  another  literary  associa- 
tion, or  "Mutual  Admiration  Society," 
as  Prof.  Westcott  sometimes  called 
them,  formed  after  the  war,  consisting 
of  Dr.  Keeley,  J.  G.  Strong,  S.  T.  K. 
Prime,  AV.  II.  Bradbury,  the  young 
Congregationalist  minister,  C.  L. 
Palmer,  of  '-The  Star,"  and  many  oth- 
ers, both  ladies  and  gentlemen.  Meet- 
ings were  held  at  private  houses  once  a 
week,  when  essays,  readings,  criticisms, 
etc.,  formed  the  program.  I  think  the 
talented  and  cultured  Mc  lure  girls 
took  a  prominent  part  at  those  meet- 
ings. 1  hey  certainly  gave  many  ex- 
cellent readings  and  recitations  about 
this  time. 

The  literary,  dramatic,  musical  and 
social  tastes  of  the  people  found  vent  in 
many  other  societies  and  exhibitions. 
Mrs,  Eldredge"s  energy  and  ability, 
among  her  other  achievements,  started 
and  conducted  a  "sociable,"   which  was 


held  at  private  houses  of  Congrega- 
tionalists  principally.  The  meetings 
were  very  pleasant  and  provided  more 
rational  entertainment  than  was  usually 
to  be  found  outside.  The  Eev.  F.  B. 
Ilargreaves  attended  many  of  these 
meetings, 

AVe  remember  the  musical  cantata 
of  Queen  Ester,  given  in  excellent  style 
by  local  talent  drilled  by  a  traveling 
professor.  It  was  in  1873  that  Dr. 
Keeley  conceived  the  idea  of  a  dramatic 
entertainment  for  the  benefit  of  the 
yellow  fever  sufferers  in  the  south.  In 
this  his  wonderful  organizing  ability 
appeared  in  selecting  and  drilling  a  lot 
of  green  amateurs,  of  whom  the  writer 
was  one.  The  plays  went  off  very  well 
and  drew  spectators  from  Odell  and 
Pontiac.  The  sum  realized  was  about 
8110. 

AVe  all  surely  recollect  the  immortal 
"Pinafore,"  for  the  production  of  which 
in  very  good  form  we  were  indebted  to 
Dr.  Keeley.  No  one  else  would  have 
attempted  either  of  these  achievements. 
He  had  the  ability  to  select  the  per- 
formers and  assign  their  parts  and  the 
patience  to  see  that  the  whole  business 
was  thoroughly  mastered.  The  conse- 
quence was  the  successful  performance 
of  a  brilliant  operatta,  reflecting  much 
credit  on  the  singers  as  well  as  the 
management. 

The  "Bound-Table"  at  the  McPher- 
son  House  was  another  social  feature 
of  some  interest,  where  the  boarders, 
especially  at  dinner  time,  were  Col.  Par- 
sons, Dr.  Keeley,  Major  .Tudd,  Air.  and 
Mrs.  C.  L.  Palmer,  Reuben  Potter 
AV.  II.  Bradbury  and  Salmon  Tuttle, 
the  banker.  Bets  won  and  lost  at  this 
table  were  i)aid  by  the  inevitable  oyster 
suppers,  which  were  duly  celebrated 
"in  song  and  story." 

The  writer  does  not  remember  that 
there  were  more  than  two   representa- 


148 


HISTORY  OF  DWKIIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


tives  of   the  colored   race  at   Uwight. 

Shortly  after  the  war  "Xigger  Jim" 
and  John  Cook  the  barber,  appeared 
among  us.  The  former  was  a  tall,  stal- 
wart, black  fellow,  who  sometimes  be- 
came aggressive  when  he  was  a  little 
full  and  fancied  his  rights  as  a  citizen 
were  infringed  upon.  He  was  a  good 
checker  player,  and  on  one  occasion 
beat  the  village  champion  two  games 
out  of  three.  Kising  from  his  seat  he 
exultingly  exclaimed :  "Twenty-six 
years  a  slave,  and  cum  to  dis  country 
and  beat  a  man  at  his  own  game  !" 
The  champion's  reply  was  more  forci- 
ble than  polite. 

Josh,  the  barber,  was  a  character  also, 
and  a  very  humorous  one.  He  was  a 
good  mimic,  and  his  account  of  the  hair- 
cutting  done  for  Mrs.  W.,  the  wife  of 
one  of  the  resident  clergymen,  was  "too 
funny  for  anything."  What  the  young 
gentleman  and  lady  said  at  this  terrible 
ordeal  and  the  tones  in  which  their 
dread  and  final  resignation  were  ex- 
pressed would  have  been  heartrending, 
if  Josh's  imitation  had  not  been  so  ex- 
cruciatingly ludicrous.  "The  barber 
knew  his  business,"  and  he  "cut  it 
curly,"  and  thus  redeemed  himself  from 
being  "the  most  cruelest  man  of  the 
age  !" 

Josh's  narration  of  how  he  sold  to  a 
very  economic  but  wealthy  gentleman 
now  living  in  California,  an  ordinary 
hair  brush  at  a  good  round  figure,  was 
richly  worth  hearing.  The  gentleman 
was  smitten  with  the  brush  and  Josh 
worked  him  accordingly.  He  used  to 
regale  his  customers  with  these  side- 
splitting stories.  He  was  a  small,  slen- 
der fellow,  a  good  barber  and  died  of 
consumption.  Dr.  Keeley  attended  him 
professionally  at  one  time. 

■•^■-  ■  —  -  — 

BY   MISS   SAKAII   SNYDER. 

Miss  Sarah  Snyder,  the  first  regular 


schoolma'm  in  the  Dwight  schools,  has 
kindly  consented  to  furnish  the  follow- 
ing. Miss  Snyder's  father  settled  in 
Dwight  in  1856,  and  was  at  one  time 
justice  of  the  peace  for  twelve  succes- 
sive years.  He  svibsequently  removed 
to  Streator,  and  was  police  magistrate 
there  until  his  death,  Aug.  13,  1876. 
Miss  Snyder  resides  there  now  and  fur- 
nishes this  interesting  piece  of  history  : 
Perhaps  it  will  be  interesting  to  some 
to  know  what  kind  of  sleighs  were  used 
in  Dwight.  It  w  as  is  in  the  winter  of 
1856  our  broad  prairies  were  covered 
with  the  pure,  beautiful  snow,  unbroken 
for  miles  by  not  a  tree  or  shrub.  Invi- 
tations were  out  for  a  social  party  at 
Mr  Nelson  CornelFs.  The  gentlemen 
were  in  a  dilemma ;  how  should  they 
manage  to  get  the  ladies  there  V  One 
great,  broad-shouldered,  generous- 
hearted  fellow  suggested  they  carry  us 
on  their  backs,  for  then  there  was  not  a 
sleigh  in  all  of  Dwight,  and  there  was 
no  time  to  order  from  Chicago.  So  this 
time  "necessity  being  the  mother  of 
invention,"  dry  goods  boxes  and  crock- 
ery crates  were  brought  into  requisition. 
The  gentlemen,  with  the  aid  of  chairs, 
most  gallantly  assisted  us  to  mount  to 
the  top  of  the  sleighs,  which  were  about 
four  feet  deep,  and  down  we  sprang 
among  the  robes  where  we  were  packed 
almost  as  closely  as  the  goods  they  for- 
merly contained  when  sent  from  Bos- 
ton or  New  York.  I  think  there  were 
no  runners  to  the  sleighs,  but  they 
seemed  to  glide  over  the  glistening 
snow  like  boys'  barrel  staves  down  a 
toboggin  slide.  It  was  a  jolly  Metho- 
dist crowd.  At  first  we  sang  old-time 
hymns,  then  "Uncle  Tom,"  "Nelly 
Ely"  and  other  popular  airs  of  the  day. 
In  our  hiliarity  we  were  lost  on  the 
great  prairie,  at  night,  without  a  com- 
pass, not  even  a  fence  or  road  or  stream- 
let to  guide  us.    Our  host  and  hostess 


HISTORY  OF  D WIGHT,  ILLIMOIS. 


149 


had  given  up  all  hopes  of  our  coming  ; 
finally  they  said  they  heard  noises  in 
the  distance  and  could  not  distinguish 
whether  it  was  human  voices  or  the 
howling  of  wolves,  I  think  it  was  both. 
They  immediately  put  out  a  signal 
light  to  direct  us,  vvhich  w^e  soon  saw  in 
the  distance  and  was  not  long  in  reach- 
ing our  destination  where  a  bountiful 
repast  was  in  readiness  for  us,  to  which 
we  did  ample  justice,  for  we  had  talked 
and  laughed,  sang  and  hurrahed  till  we 
were  almost  as  hungry  as  the  ravenous 
wolves  that,  were  following  close  on  our 
trail.  Time  sped  quickly  and  jjleasantly 
into  the  small  hours  of  morn'  when  we 
returned  to  our  homes  in  much  less 
time  than  we  v.  ent. 

Soon  after  elegant  sleighs  and  bells 
were  seen  and  heard  in  our  little  village. 
Yet  no  sleigh-riding  party,  I  venture  to 
assert,  was  ever  more  thoroughly  en- 
joyed by  all  than  the  first  wild  and  ro 
mantic  one  in  the  winter  of  1856 


BY   JAMES  SMITH. 

Mr.  James  Smith  came  to  Dwight  in 
1801  from  Rochester,  N.  Y.  Was  born 
in  Connecticut,  April  23,  18 Hi.  Farmed 
around  Dwight  for  a  number  of  years. 
Jos.  McPherson  and  Jas.  Smith  built  the 
first  warehouse  in  Dwight,  which  stood 
nearly  opposite  the  site  of  the  present 
C.  &  A.  depot,  east,  where  they  did  a 
prosperous  business. 

Mr.  Smith  was  a  member  of  the  first 
village  board  of  Dwight,  which  con- 
sisted of  two  members  for  two  years. 
Henry  Eldridge  was  his  colleague,  and 
the  board  was  straight  temperance. 

Mr.  Smith  moved  into  Dwight  in  18*)(). 
He  says,  as  he  looks  around  him  at  this 
late  date,  he  sees  lots  of  temperance 
people  who  were  on  the  other  side  in 
early  days.  Mr.  Smith  is  about  80  years 
of  age,  and  two  years  ago  took  a  trip 
east  which  he  enjoyed  greatly. 


Through  the  kindness  of  Dr.  Leslie 
E.  Keeley  we  present  the  following: 

The  following  dramatic  programme 
was  handed  us  by  an  old  settler  who 
has  kept  "tab"  of  Dwight  doings  for 
more  than  a  third  of  a  century.  It  is  a 
treasure  that  will  bring  to  mind  one  of 
the  most  interesting  times  of  the  old 
days,  when  Gerson's  Hall  was  an  entity 
and  its  owner  a  very  much  pronounced 
personage  in  our  town  affairs.  The  pro- 
gramme will  bring  back  a  flood  of  mem- 
ories to  many  who  are  now  gray-haired, 
but  who  at  that  time  were  filled  with 
"Life's  ambition  in  young  blood  ex- 
pressed." The  dramatic  person*  were 
all  young  farmers  living  in  and  about 
Dwight.  Mr.  L.  Bataille  ( Duke  of  Glos- 
ter)  was  a  callow  Frenchman  who 
worked  for  a  Mr.  Mathieson  a  few  miles 
southwest  of  Dwight.  Mr.  N.  G.  Skeels 
worked  on  Mr.  Nelson  Cornell's  farm 
near  by.  Geo.  Kyler  (King  Henry  the 
VII)  worked  on  his  father's  farm  close 
to  town,  and  afterwards  on  the  C.  &  A. 
R.  R.  braking,  till  he  left  some  time  ago 
for  the  old  home  in  Eastern  I'ennsylva- 
nia.  George  visited  us  last  summer, 
and  his  noble  bearing  showed  kingly 

stock.  Mr.  A.  Wildman  (Lord  Stanley) 
helped  our  only  liveryman,  Hiram  Cor- 
nell, as  a  general  roustabout  in  his  hotel 
and  stable.  A.  Matthews  (Duke  of  Nor- 
folk) worked  with  the  (Earl  of  Oxford) 
Cal.  . I  ones,  on  a  rented  farm  of  Mr. 
McWilliams'  a  few  miles  south  of  town. 
J.  Jones  (Lieutenant  of  the  Tower) 
worked  ten  miles  northeast  of  town  on  a 
farm.  A.  Kimberk,  who  took  the 
character  of  Tirrell,  was  also  a  tenant 
of  David  McWilliams'  a  couple  of  miles 
north  of  I  >wight.  E.  J.  Jackson  andE. 
Holmes  (Catesby  and  Ratclifi)  worked 
on  farms  in  Highland  Township. 

The  programme  is  a  chef-d';euvre  of 
skilled  composition.  Captain  Stephens, 
of  old  time  memory,  Charley  Newell, 
Mr.  Moore,  the  school  principal,  and 
Major  .John  Campbell  worked  hard  upon 
it  to  make  it  attractive,  and  as  it  stands, 
with  the  materials  to  work   upon,  we 


150 


IIL:?TOilY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


pronounce    it  unrivalled  as  a  master- 
piece: 
DV^IGHX     THEATRE! 

MAN  AGliRS, 
L.  Bateiille N.  Q.  Skeels 

FIRST  APPEARANCE  OF 

THE  DWIGHT  DRAMATIC  COMPANY, 

AT 

OERSON'S    HALL! 

Tuesday  Eve.,  June  23, 1868. 

First  /Appearance  of  L.   B/fT/flLLE, 

Who,  after  an  absence  of  one  year  from  the 
stage,  reappears  before  the  piiblii;   in  tliree 
great  characters      He  has  received  the 
most  iiuboiinded  applause  and   most 
flattering  encomiums  from   both 
the  pie>s  and  public,   sup- 
ported by  tlie 

Yourjg  and  Talaqted  N.  G.   8KEELS, 

Late  of  Debar's  Opera  House.  St.  Louis 

PROGRAMME— PART  FIRST. 

Selections  from  Sliakspeare's  Sublime  Tragedy 
of  '"Richard  the  Third." 

Duke  of  Gloster  (afterwards  Richard    the 

Third) L.  liATAILLE 

Earl  of  Riclimoud N.  G.  Skkkls 

King  Henry  the  VII ft.  Kyler 

Lord  Stanley A.  Wildman 

Duke  of  NorfolK A.  Matthews 

Earl  of  Oxford C .  VV alker 

Lieutenant  of  the  Tower .J.  Jones 

Tirrell A.  Kimberk 

Catesby J.  .Jackson 

Ratcliff E .  Holmes 

Comic  Song— "Paddy's  Dream A .  Kimberk 

PART  SECOND. 

Tyrone  Power  Side-Splitting  Farce  of  the 
"OMNIBUS." 

PatRooney L.  BATAILLE 

Mr.  Ledger N.  G.  Skeels 

Mr.  Dobbs G.  Kyler 

Master  Tom  Dobbs C .  Walker 

Farmer  Boy A.  Wildman 

Julia  Ledger Miss  Jones 

> 

The  whole  to  conclude  with  BATAILLE'S  great 

Extravaganza,  entitled, 

"The  Emancipation  Jiil^ileel" 

Black  Syren,  (with  dance; L.  Bataille 

Pompey,  (with  song) A.  Kimberk 

Wool N.  G.  Skeels 

And  the  entire  strength  of  the  company. 

9 

Doors  open  at  7  o'clock,  i)erformaoce  to  com- 
mence at  8.  Front  seats  reserved  for  ladies. 
Good  Music  in  attendance.  Tickets.  iV)  cents  to 
be  had  at  the  principal  stores  in  town  and  at  the 
door. 

Dwight  "Courier"  Print— Smith  &  Rutan. 


D.  McWilliams  says:  The  first  per- 
manent residence  was  erected  by  Mr. 
West,  on  lots  18  and  l'.»,  block  7, 
where  the  John  D.  Ketcham  property 
now  stands.  Mr.  \N  est  died  in  1889.  He 
was  a  brother-in-law  of   iviartin  Wilks. 

The  house  that  Dr.  Hagerty  first  oc- 
cupied was  on  lot  8  block  18,  where  the 
Hagerty  block  now  stands. 

Among  the  first  buildings  erected  was 
one  by  J.  J.  Gore  on  lot  17  block  6,  where 
Geo.  Petersen's  residence  no  \  stands. 

Robt.  Young,  oneof  the  earlier  timers 
V.  as  a  brother  of  Brighara  Young,  and 
a  quite  popular  man  in  his  day. 


Geo.  Z  Flagler  and  others  of  the  set- 
tlers of  1855,  claim  to  have  plo  *  ed  the 
first  furrovv  in  this  locality,  and  that  it 
was  along  near  the' creek  north  of  to  n. 
The  histories  we  have  had  a  cess  to  say 
that  'Squire  Mcllduff  was  the  first  to 
plow  any  amount  of  ground.  The  ques- 
tion of  v\  ho  v\  as  first  cuts  no  figure.  It 
w  as  surely  done  by  some  one  and  was 
follow'. ed  by  others  until  nearly  the 
w  hole  country  v.  as  under  cultivation  at 
some  time. 


Mr.  Seth  Clover  tells  a  story  regarding 
one  of  the  hunting  trips  of  the  Frince  of 
Wales  w  hile  in  this  section.  The  Prince 
v\  as  out  w  ith  his  party  in  Eound  Grove 
one  day  and  were  hunting  along  the 
genuine  Gooseberry  creek  w  hen  some 
of  the  party  spied  a  fiock  of  ducks  in 
the  creek.  As  the  party  m  ere  out  for 
game  somi  one  mimediately  fired  a  shot 
into  the  fiock.  The  ducks,  ho  v\  ever, 
seemed  more  surprised  than  scared  and 
s  vN  am  out  of  the  w  ater  and  scampered 
up  the  bank.  It  turned  out  that  there 
v^  as  a  log  cabin  close  by  surrounded  by 
thick  timber  and  not  observed  by  the 
Prince's  party,  and  the  ducks  proved  to 
be  tame  ones.  The  lady  of  the  house, 
Mrs.  Eunice  Pratt,  heard  the  shots  and 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


151 


came  down  to  the  creek  with  blood  in 
her  eye.  As  soon  as  she  spied  the 
royal  party  siie  let  loose  at  them  and 
gave  them  such  a  tongue  lashing  as  they 
never  had  before.  Royalty  was  not  in 
it  for  once  and  the  party  took  a  good 
look  around  before  they  shot  into  Hocks 
of  ducks  again. 


HY  D.  MCWILLIAMS. 

The  Chicago  &  Alton  R.  R.  built 
under  a  charter  granted  to  the  Chicago 
&  Mississippi  R.  R.  was  completed  to 
Springfield,  111.,  in  1852.  The  follow- 
ing year  it  reached  Bloomington,  and 
the  year  1854  saw  its  completion  to 
Joliet,  connecting  by  steamboat  from 
Alton  to  St.  Louis,  and  rvinning  on  the 
Rock  Island  Railroad  from  Joliet  to 
Chicago.  The  country  was  very  sparcely 
settled,  Bloomington  being  about  the 
only  point  of  any  size  north  of  Spring- 
field. The  second  week  in  August  1854 
the  road  was  opened  for  through  traflic 
from  Chicago  to  St.  Louis.  A  few  days 
thereafter  the  writer  passed  through 
Dwight,  which  was  surrounded  on  all 
sides  with  tall  prairie  grass,  and  but 
few  houses  in  sight.  On  the  present 
town  site  was  a  small  depot,  a  small 
16x24  1%  story  building,  where  the 
Hagerty  building  now  stands,  a  small 
one  story  house  on  the  corner  north- 
east of  the  Methodist  church,  the 
house  so  long  occupied  by  Mr.  A.  West, 
and  a  blacksmith  shop  just  west  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  was  all  there  was 
where  Dwight  now  stands.  Supper 
was  being  served  in  the  depot  building, 
as  it  served  as  a  dwelling  as  well  a  de- 
pot, and  those  connected  with  the  rail- 
road service  lived  there,  and  it  was  the 
only  place  where  a  person  could  get  a 
night's  lodging  or  a  meal  of  victuals. 
There  were  roads  running  to  the  west, 
northwest,  northeast  and  east  to  the 
different    settlements    that  had    been 


made  previous  to  the  building  of  the 
railroad. 

The  following  named  persons  are  all 
that  constituted  the  actual  settlers  of 
the  village  of  Dwight  previous  to  the 
spring  of  1855: 

Augustus  West  and  family. 

John  Rontzong  and  wife. 

Simeon  Lutz  and  wife. 

James  Morgan  and  wife. 

Thos.  C.  Wilson  and  wife. 

E  C.  Stevens  and  wife. 

James  S.  Harrison. 

The  families  who  had  settled  in  the 
adjoining  country  to  Dwight,  especially 
in  Livingston  county  were  as  follows: 

John  Conant  and  family  }{  mile 
west. 

Nelson  Cornell  and  family  }{  mile 
northwest. 

Thomas  Little  (unmarried)  one  mile 
west. 

R.  S.  Bishop  on  the  farm  now  of 
Peter  Hansen. 

Robt.  Thompson  on  the  farm  now  of 
Peter  Hansen. 

John  Rainey  on  the  farm  now  of  Jno- 
R.  Martin. 

James  George  on  the  farm  now  of 
John  Stewart. 

Thos.  C.  McDowell  on  the  farm  now 
of  Jas.  Brown. 

S.  H.  Kyle  on  the  farm  now  of  J. 
Roirdan. 

James  Henry  on  the  farm  now  of  D. 
McWilliams. 

No  settlement  nearer  than  five  mile- 
grove  south,  none  southeast  except  the 
Broughtons  in  Broughton  township. 
To  the  east  near  Round  Grove  were 
Stephen  Potter,  Wm.  Cook,  and  Mr, 
Gibson.  To  the  northwest  in  Grundy 
county  Samuel  Cutler  on  the  farm 
now  owned  by  Louis  Zabel. 

Erastus  Stevens  on  the  farm  now 
owned  by  Nicholas  Morrisey. 

.John  Henry  on  the  farm  occupied  by 


152 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLINOIS. 


his  son  and  widow. 

Eber  Stevens  and  mother  on  the  farna 
still  owned  by  him. 

Addison  Wood  on  the  farm  now 
owned  by  M.  Cusick. 

Wm.  Mason  where  Michael  Kime 
now  resides,  and  to  the  northeast  were 
some  ten  or  twelve  f amiles  in  the  "Ger- 
man Settlement." 

Immigration  came  in  quite  rapidly 
during  1855,  and  the  growth  and  im- 
provement of  the  country  continued 
steady  after  that  period.  The  first  two 
seasons  we  had  fair  crops,  and  after 
that  for  several  years  we  suffered  great- 
ly on  account  of  the  great  rain-fall  and 
"hard  times"  followed  and  a  great  many 
who  had  purchased  their  farms  upon 
credit  were  compelled  to  give  them  up. 
When  the  civil  war  began  the  enlist- 
ments were  so  numerous,  that  help 
could  hardly  obtained  and  a  consider- 
able amount  of  land  that  had  been  cul- 
tivated remained  vacant  and  unoccupied 
for  some  time,  as  prices  of  grain  were 
so  low  there  was  no  particular  object 
in  raising  it. 


ILLT7SXRATIONS. 

The  publishers  of  the  "History  of 
Dwight"  have  taken  considerable  pains 
to  get  the  portraits  of  many  of  our 
prominent  citizens  of  this  neighbor- 
hood. We  have  asked  many  more  for 
their  photographs  but  have  not  received 
them,  for  reasons  best  known  to  them- 
selves. We  also  give  many  views  of 
business  houses  and  the  Chicago  &  Al- 
ton Passenger  station. 

Among  the  portraits  are  the  follow- 
ing: 

Geo.  Conant. 

Four  generations  of  the  Bartholic 
family. 

David  Mc Williams. 

Col.  R.  P.  Morgan. 

Dr.  Leslie  E.  Keeley. 


Major  C.  J.  Judd. 
John  R.  Oughton. 
E.  H.  Kneeland. 
David  Riling. 
James  Bro  a  n. 
John  Vickery. 
James  N.  Smith. 
Col.  J.  B.  Parsons. 
James  Kelagher. 
S.  T.  K.  Prime. 
William  T.  Prime. 
Wilham  G.  Dustin. 
Frank  L.  Smith. 
Wm.  H.  Ketcham  Jr. 
Wm.  H.  Ketcham  Sr. 
Robert  Thompson. 
Levi  Reeder. 
B.  A.  Buck. 
E.  T.  Miller. 
John  Pettett. 
Dr.  C.  H.  Barr. 
Dr.  J.  E.  Blaine. 
Homer  Kenyon. 
Dr.  R.  Broughton. 
Dr.  Wm.  Brown. 
Dr.  A.  C.  Lonergan. 
Leonard  Howlett. 
Frank  A.  Haise. 
D.  B.  Stevens. 
Geo.  Z.  Flagler. 
Geo.  N.  Flagler. 
Eugene  Flagler. 
Chas.  AVaters. 
Ed.  Losee. 
Orville  Brown. 
Wm.  H.  Taylor. 
Jos.  Miller. 
Carl  Miller. 
Willard  S.  Brown. 
Chas.  L.  Romberger. 
Nathan  Baker. 
Prof.  J.  H.  Meneely. 
Miss  Sarah  Snyder. 
Dwight  Morgan. 
W.  H.  Conrad. 
Rev.  R.  Wilhelmsen. 
Rev.  E.  F.  Wright. 


HISTORY  OF  DWIGIIT,  ILLI^^OIS. 


153 


Rev.  C.  W.  Ayling. 

Jacob  Christman. 

Ed.  Mezger. 

W.  H.  Bradbury. 

Roger  H.  Mills. 

Geo.  W.  Boyer. 

Geo.  L.  Kern, 

"Walter  M.  Weese. 

J.  C.  Lewis. 

O.  ^Y.  Pollard. 

John  Leach. 

The  portraits  are  most  of  them  made 
from  late  photographs  and  will  un- 
doubtedly be  highly  appreciated  by  the 
buyers  of  the  history. 


The  history  is  not  as  complete  in 
many  parts  as  we  desired,  but  we  be 
lieve  all  the  readers  will  appreciate  the 
circumstances  under  which  the  work 
was  issued  and  give  us  credit  for  doing 
the  best  we  could  taking  all  things 
under  consideration,  especially  the 
price.  The  publication  commenced 
under  the  firm  of  Dustin  &  Wassel 
and  closes  under  the  management  of 
Dustin  &  Prime.  We  close  the  volume 
by  returning  our  sincere  thanks  to  the 
many  kind  friends  who  have  assisted  us 
in  different  ways,  and  extend  our  kind- 
est wishes  for  your  future  welfare  and 
prosperity.  Publishers. 


[THE  END.] 


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